


The Lion's Return

by NeonCandies



Series: Oriande's Chosen [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Keith (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Lance/Allura/Lotor, M/M, White Lion au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:00:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27154180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeonCandies/pseuds/NeonCandies
Summary: Zarkon's witch has been defeated, however she was not the only one to perish. While the Guardian of Oriande recovers, team Voltron must make their way back to Earth in order to help them prepare for whatever may come. The war is reaching its precipice and already they can see the end on the horizon. With so much of Zarkon's control failing, will they really be able to do this? Will this be the final stretch that marks the end of their fight and the start of a new beginning? Without a doubt Keith knows this is where it will all come to a head. And for the sake of avenging his people and all who have died for the coalition, he will see it through till the end.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: Oriande's Chosen [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538947
Comments: 40
Kudos: 63





	1. We Come in Peace

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I'm back and rearing to go! This is the final part for this series! I'm so excited to get into it and honestly I'm still not sure how long this one will be. I don't think it'll be 19 chapters like part 1 and 2 were. I also think this part will have more... Filler? Working out relationships, establishing them, etc before the final battle. But again I'm not too sure myself! We'll see! Either way thank you all for sticking with me so far and for your patience! I'm going to try and upload a chapter every other week, though no promises. But regardless, thank you for reading!

The sound of an alarm clock going off was the only thing heard in the relatively empty house. It beeped incessantly, prompting the form on the bed to shift and groan. A tanned hand snuck from under the pile of sheets and slapped around for the damned device. After a few misses, Tex finally managed to shut the thing up.

With another pointed groan he pulled himself from beneath the covers. As he sat on the edge of the bed he yawned and gave a full body stretch, breath hitching when his back gave a satisfying crack. 

He scratched at his stomach, sleepy eyes trailing to the little calendar propped up near his alarm clock. The current date was circled furiously in red marker, the written words ‘ **today** ’ underlined a few times. Tex rolled his eyes. Even with his son having been gone for months, he could still hear his voice clear as day.

“Alright, alright,” He said to no one, “I’m goin’.” 

Tex got up, got dressed, and dug around in his drawers for the white device given to him all those years ago. He looked at it, running a finger over the blue markings etched into the frame before he tossed it up and caught it. After stuffing it in the pocket of his jacket and zipping it up to make sure it was secure, Tex ate a quick breakfast and then set out with his bike towards the Galaxy Garrison. 

The drive was long and boring, Tex entertaining himself by whistling a tune and occasionally glancing at the sky. He wondered if Keith’s prediction would happen before he even got to the Garrison. Wouldn’t that just be peachy? Tex had one job and he’d have blown it before the day even began.

Thankfully by the time he reached the Garrison, no giant Lions started dropping from the sky. Tex slowed to a stop, lifting up his sunglasses and nodding his head to the guard posted outside. 

“Mornin’.”

“Can I help you?” The man gave him a suspicious frown from the safety of his little booth.

“Actually, ya can. Name’s Tex Kogane, I’ve got business with Admiral Sanda.”

It took a moment before the man’s confused expression turned to recognition. His eyes widened before narrowing, arms crossing over his chest. “You’re Keith Kogane’s dad?”

“One and only.” 

“Are you aware that your son is considered wanted by the Garrison?”

Not this again. Tex didn’t roll his eyes, but it was a darn near thing. However he did sigh like the question aged him by thirty years. “Ya don’t say? Not like I get calls and uninvited visits askin’ where my son is. Which is why I’m here. Got information Sanda’s been askin’ for.”

The man looked uneasy, glancing to the side as he thought for a moment. Then he looked back to Tex, holding up a hand for him to wait. While the man turned his back to Tex and contacted the base, Tex busied himself readjusting his gloves and patting his pocket to make sure the recorder was still there. Good. Tex hadn’t been driving as recklessly as usual but still he’d rather be careful.

“Alright, you’re free to go. Park out front, an escort will be waiting for you.” The man said before granting Tex access to the Garrison base.

“Thank ya kindly,” Tex hummed, lowering his sunglasses and flying off with a swirling of dust left in his wake. 

Just like the guard stationed at the gate had said, there was indeed an escort waiting outside for Tex. He powered off his bike and got off, pocketting the keys. “Mitch.”

“Tex.”

Iverson had his arms crossed behind his back and was watching Tex with a critical eye. He huffed a small sigh, shaking his head and turning, expecting the other man to follow.

“Your boy’s in a lot of trouble. Shame, he was a bright cadet.”

“Don’t I know it. Kid was smarter than me even when he came up to my knees.” That got a snort from Iverson, but Tex really wasn’t joking. Ah well, inside joke. He had plenty given the fact his wife and kid were both aliens from different species. 

The two fell into a stiff silence after that, Tex wandering past cadets of all heights, the bland orange and grey uniforms making him grimace. Though really he had no room to criticize since his own uniform was pretty boring to look at. 

When they reached Sanda’s office, she was already sitting behind her desk and watching the door expectantly. Iverson held it open for Tex, making a move to close it before Tex stopped him.

“Could ya do me a favor and call Miss Holt? She’s gonna wanna be here.” 

Iverson looked confused, glancing at Sanda over Tex’s shoulder. Whatever he saw was answer enough. He gave no indication he would or wouldn’t and closed the door without further answer. No problem. Tex already placed a call on the way over to the Garrison.

“Take a seat, Mr. Kogane.”

“Just Tex is fine.” He said like this wasn’t the hundredth time he’d repeated himself.

Sanda waited till Tex had taken one of the chairs in front of her before she rested her hands on her desk and leveled him with a stringent eye. “So, you’ve finally gotten information on your son’s whereabouts?”

“Perhaps.”

“ _‘Perhaps’_? This is no game, Mr. Kogane. Your son is wanted for treason. It is your duty to bring him forward so he can be apprehended and tried.”

Tex snorted, fighting a smirk as he leaned back in his chair. “Treason, huh? Well that would hold water if he was from Earth.”

Sanda’s face pinched in blatant confusion, “Excuse me?”

“Just as I said. See, funny thing. I wasn’t lyin’ when I told y’all I found that boy out in the desert. Thing was, he came flyin’ down from a giant mech Lion. Kinda like Blue. And from what I hear, you’ve seen ol’ Blue before she flew off into space, so ya know what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.” Tex’s grin grew when he saw the way Sanda’s expression hardened.

Before she could say anything about classified information and all that other red tape bullshit, Tex had placed the clearly alien device on her desk with a clack. Her frown deepened as she looked between it and him.

When Tex gave no further indication on whatever it was he’d just placed on her desk, she clicked her tongue and prompted, “And this is?”

“Proof that we’re ‘bout to get company.”

He pressed a circular button on the device and with a hum the blue lines began glowing. The little dome on the recorder pulled back, revealing a milky screen that flared to life.

Sanda stiffened when it projected a light and a screen appeared before her. It was blurry and showed what appeared to be a ratty couch, the stuffing looking ready to spill out at one wrong sit. 

Before she could say anything Tex pressed another button and the image cleared as the video began to play. There was crackling as the recording was adjusted, making sure to get the center of the couch in full frame.

“ _Ok, it’s set up._ ”

“ _Are you sure it’s wise for me to go first, Yorak?_ ”

“ _Yeah, you came to Earth before me after all. Best to keep it in some semblence of order._ ”

“ _Alright._ ” 

Finally a person entered the frame, the form distinctly female. However when she sat down it was clear that she wasn’t… “Normal”. With purple skin, yellow sclera, violet eyes, and hair in a similar striking shade, she looked anything but human. Tex almost swooned there in the chair, his heart skipping a beat. No matter how many times he rewatched this recording he still felt like a schoolboy with his first crush all over again. Damn he missed her. Tex fleetingly wondered if Keith had run into her yet out there in the cosmos. Is she ok? Did she think of them?

“ _My name is Krolia, I am an undercover operative for the Blade of Marmora, a hidden resistance against the Galra Empire. You who are in charge of the Garrison, it is imperative you listen to the contents of this recording._ ” Krolia then nodded, looking offscreen at someone. “ _I’m done._ ”

“ _Krolia! You have to explain what the Galra Empire is and why you’re here!_ ”

“ _This is your recording, I do not understand why my presence is necessary_.”

“ _Just… Because! Take this seriously._ ”

Krolia clicked her tongue but indeed continued, facing the camera again. “ _Fine. About three years ago--_ ”

“ _Technically when we show this recording, it’ll have been--_ ” The youthful voice was suddenly muffled, quickly turning to indignant sounds of protest.

“ _I got ‘em, ya just continue honey._ ” Came Tex’s voice somewhere offscreen.

Krolia’s mouth quirked up briefly before she continued on, speaking as if she was giving a report to her serperior. She talked about the Galra Empire, a brief summary of its 10,000 deca-phoebs of control, and why she came to Earth.

“ _Alright, my turn._ ” A little white-haired boy came on screen, Krolia helping him onto the couch before she left. When the boy faced the camera it took a moment of staring for Sanda to register who she was looking at. With the white hair and face full of chubby baby fat, it had been a little difficult to recognize the sharp-faced, black-haired cadet she’d come to know as Keith.

“ _I am Yorak, son of Ilor and Atka of Altea. Currently I have been on Earth for nearly a year. I am here as a messenger on behalf of the Voltron Lions. There are five in total and one of them, the Blue Lion, is located here on Earth. This puts your planet on the Galra Empire’s map_ .” The small boy then explained that on a day in the future, verbally naming the _current_ date, five Lions will descend from the skies. These would be the Lions of Voltron and with their help, Earth would stand a chance surviving any attack the Galra Empire would throw their way.

The video then promptly ended, the lights in the device dying and leaving both Sanda and Tex in silence. Then after a moment she slowly dragged her eyes up and leveled Tex with a suspicious glare. “You expect me to believe that this proves… What? That your son is an alien?”

“And my wife, though we ain’t had a weddin’ yet. Promised her we would after the war.” Tex said with a grin, taking the device off the desk before Sanda could think to ‘confiscate it’. He knew it was as alien of tech as they would get; other than the Galra pod Shiro dropped from, but that was another matter entirely. 

Sanda leaned back in her chair and leveled Tex with an unimpressed look. “While I won’t deny I have never seen such a device before, that does not mean it was created off-planet. And how can you even prove that you didn’t dress your… Wife and son up? Mr. Kogane we’re quite serious about our space exploration here, that means ignoring hoaxes when they present themselves to us. You’re not the first person to come to us claiming they have proof of aliens, nor will you be the last. However if this is all you’ve come to show us then I feel as if my time has been wasted. Unless you can properly offer information as to your son and his cohorts’ location, then I believe our time is done here.” Sanda pointedly flicked her eyes towards the door, “You’re free to go.” 

Tex quirked a brow, “Then what about the Blue Lion? Ya gonna say she’s a hoax too?”

Sanda’s expression did not shift from its cool, blank one. She merely rested her elbows on the table and hid her mouth behind her tangled fingers. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. Good day, Mr. Kogane.”

So that’s how it was going to be.

Alright, no need to tell him a third time. Tex mimed tipping a hat in farewell before he stood from his chair and let himself out. Iverson was there on the other side, giving no indication he’d heard anything. Tex honestly didn’t care if he did or not, they’d all know sooner or later.

Iverson was a little stiff when bidding farewell but Tex didn’t hold it against him given the fact they weren’t exactly friends. He then drove out of the Garrison, pulling off the road and parking about half a mile from the gated entrance. He had no clue where the Lions would be dropping, but he figured it was safer to assume they’d go to the Garrison before anything. 

As he sat on his powered off bike, Tex busied himself having a casual smoke. It was a habit he’d only picked up recently. Ironic that a firefighter would smoke. But the stress of worrying over his wife and kid got too much to handle and given his limited options, Tex would much rather settle for smoking than any other destructive alternative. Besides he was confident he’d kick the habit when everything was over and he wouldn’t get grey hairs from worrying so much.

Tex was pulled from his sky-watching by the sound of a car’s wheels crunching over gravel. He turned to see a familiar jeep pulling off the road to park next to him. It kicked up a cloud of dust that had him holding back a choking cough, a hand waving away the gritty powder.

“Smoking’s bad for your health.” Came a voice followed by the sound of a door opening and closing.

“Nice to see you too, Colleen.” Tex coughed into his fist, dropping the cigarette butt on the floor and stepping on it. 

There was a happy bark, Bae Bae rushing past Colleen in order to stand on her hind legs and place her front paws on Tex’s knee, eager to be greeted. Tex cooed, ruffling the bull terrier’s neck.

“And howdy to you too, Bae Bae. You keepin’ Colleen company? Yes you are! Such a good girl.”

Colleen rolled her eyes, a tired smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. She came up to stand beside Tex and leaned against his bike, arms crossing over her chest. “So why bother calling me all the way out here if you didn’t mean to go _in_ the Garrison?”

“Oh I already went in. Sanda didn’t take too kindly to my son’s prediction.”

“Keith?”

Without saying anything Tex pulled out the device and handed it to her. He let her study it for a moment, her eyes wide as she tried to make sense of the object that was clearly not man-made. Unlike Sanda, Colleen Holt knew more about technology and computers. So to her trained eye she knew without a doubt this wasn’t any old piece of technology. And when Tex pressed a button on the device she visibly jumped as it powered to life.

Colleen watched the video with a critical eye, not uttering a single sound till it ended and the recorder turned off. Without speaking she handed it back to Tex and joined him in looking up at the sky. 

After a lengthy silence she sighed, “It’s hard to believe. But… That’s nothing I’ve ever seen before. Without even taking it apart I can tell it’s just too ‘ _perfect_ ’ for something Earth-made.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Technology ain’t my strong suit.” Tex crossed his arms over his chest, studying a cloud that looked like a sad elephant. “Katie went up there with Keith and the others.”

That got Colleen’s attention. Her head snapped towards him and her face flashed through various emotions. To save her from trying to sort through any questions she was trying to form into words, Tex continued. “Keith was searchin’ for the Paladin’s of Voltron. Katie was one of them.”

“... And I’m guessing the other kids accused of treason are also these ‘ _Paladins_ ’?”

“Yep. Though they ain’t all kids. Shiro was with em.”

Colleen once more looked surprised but she did bark a short laugh, sniffing a bit. “He’s the biggest kid amongst them. Leap year, remember?” 

“Ah well shoot, then I guess Keith’s the only adult.” 

Tex could tell that Colleen wanted to ask more questions. Probably about how Shiro had come back, was he alright, did that mean Sam and Matt were fine, and so on. As much as Tex would have loved to answer those questions, he didn’t think he’d have an answer that satisfied her. Especially since he’d only spent a short half-a-day with Shiro and from that he could tell the other was extremely out of it. He’d gone through a lot up there in space, so who knew what Samuel and Matthew were going through?

As Colleen inhaled like she was preparing to say something, above them there was a rumbling that stopped anything she might’ve said. Their eyes widened and they looked up in time to see one by one, five forms descend from the sky and grow bigger as they got closer to the ground.

Tex whistled, straightening up from his bike and placing his hands on his hips. “Well, looks like they’re here!”

“My God…” Colleen whispered, brain slowly catching up with what she was seeing.

It was interesting to see how the Lions were seeming to fly towards the Garrison, yet then the Black Lion’s head jerked and it was instantly changing course to land where Tex and Colleen were sitting. Then like a flock of birds following the leader, the other four Lions tailed it and descended with a similar ease.

As the Lions began to land on the ground, kicking up large clouds of dirt, Tex heard the sound of engines behind them. Tex glanced over his shoulder, using an arm to shield himself from the brunt of the scattered sand. Seeing about five Garrison vehicles park a few feet away from him and Colleen brought a smirk to his face. 

Sanda was the first to climb out of a car, her expression hidden by the bridge of her hat. That still didn’t stop Tex from giving a smug call of, “Glad ya could join us!” If he was feeling a bit more petty he might’ve tacked on a _‘still think my kid was lying_?’ but he was feeling magnanimous so he didn’t. 

“Our scanners picked up something huge just outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Then next thing we know five projectiles are breaking off and descending!” Iverson said as he tipped his head back to stare with his one good eye.

The Lions began to power down just as their jaws opened and ramps came out. Gradually people began to descend from the ramps, their pace almost casual. Tex’s eyes widened when he noticed a tall figure practically barrel past the other person on the Black Lion’s ramp. The person could only be described as “power walking” with a purpose. But even from this distance Tex knew that gait, the purple colouring, that height.

He pointedly ignored Sanda’s bark of him to hold on, too busy breaking into a brisk jog to get closer. His heart skyrocketed, sticking firm in his throat as a thrill of excitement pumped through his blood. He barely resisted the urge to yell her name, the words just on the tip of his tongue. 

The distance between them was shortened in moments and he could make out her focused expression. Her eyes were narrowed and she was staring straight at Tex like he was prey. It darn near made his heart skip a beat.

“Kro-” He barely got her name out before she was grabbing him and yanking him close. Their lips smashed together, her fangs nicking Tex’s in a way that was so achingly familiar. He enthusiastically returned the kiss, arms wrapping around the tall Galra’s shoulders and letting her dominate. 

When it really felt like he was going to pass out from lack of oxygen, Krolia finally deigned to ease up. She pulled back, arms still wrapped around Tex and keeping him from dropping to the ground. Since when did he lean so far back that Krolia was practically dipping him? 

“You taste like smoke.” Was the first words she said to him after so many years apart.

Tex had a moment to feel sheepish, “Sorry. If I’d known I would’ve been lockin’ lips, I would’ve held back on takin’ a smoke.”

She seemed unimpressed but Tex didn’t let that phase him. If the kiss was anything to go by then he knew without a doubt Krolia still cared for him. He grinned almost dreamily at her, absolutely smitten with this beautiful alien even after all this time. “So… I take it ya missed me?”

Krolia’s fierce expression softened and she lowered her head to brush a gentler kiss to his forehead. “Every day.” Came the whisper, so much emotion laced between the two words.

Tex felt that lump in his throat returning and he reached up, cupping Krolia’s cheek and pulling her down into a more lingering kiss. Then after he said, “That makes two of us.”

Their little moment was put to an end by the frantic barking of Bae Bae. They turned in time to watch as she broke free of Colleen’s hold and charged forward, rushing past and making a beeline for the little Green Paladin that had just stepped off her Lion’s ramp.

Pidge yelped as she was tackled to the ground, Bae Bae incessantly licking at her face while her tail wagged a mile a minute. Behind her still coming down the ramp were two others, Sam and Matt. They both laughed hard at the unprompted attack but then it caught up with them that if Bae Bae was here, then that meant…

“Sam! Matt! Katie!” 

Colleen was running now, her call catching the attention of those three.

“Mom!”

“Colleen!”

In her haste Colleen nearly tripped over a rock. However despite her stumble she continued onwards, breath coming out in gasping halts. The three space-traveling Holt’s sprinted towards her with just as much enthusiasm. In a single moment the broken family was once again reunited, arms wrapping tightly around each other and a steady flow of tears prickling the eyes.

Off to the side Allura, Coran, Lance, Hunk, and Shiro stood, watching the reunions with small smiles. However the easy expression Shiro held fell the moment he caught sight of the uniformed group approaching them. 

Admiral Sanda was leading a group of four men, one being Iverson and the other two being people he didn’t recognize. However from the awed look they were directing towards him, he assumed they knew of him. Granted he was a bit of a celebrity when he left Earth. And then from Keith’s own retellings, he was pronounced as dead to the world. So really it wasn’t too surprising they were looking at him like they were seeing a ghost. Only Iverson and Sanda seemed unphased by Shiro’s supposed return from the dead. Though that was probably because they knew the whole time he was still alive.

“Takashi Shirogane.” Sanda spoke with a small tilt of her head as greeting.

“Admiral Sanda,” He returned the gesture, “It’s good to see you’re doing well.”

“I could say the same for you. It’s good to see you’re alright.” Her bland tone made it seem like she was discussing the weather. It was hard to tell if she was even being genuine. Sanda gave a scrutinizing gaze past Shiro, making note of the missing Garrison cadets. Her attention then drifted to the Lions towering behind them. “I see you’ve been busy while out in space.”

“You seem surprised at the Lion’s appearance. Did you not receive the message?” Krolia’s question had attention turning towards her. She seemed satisfied after kissing her mate, arms now crossed over her chest while Tex stood beside her in a similar fashion.

“Nah, I gave Sanda the message Keith left. It was her choice not to believe me.” Tex’s expression faltered at the mention of his son and he found himself glancing amongst those who’d come from space. He turned back to look at Krolia, a lingering touch of fear and worry in his gaze. “Keith…?”

“He is fine,” Krolia assured with a gentle murmur, “It’s a long story.”

Sanda cleared her throat in an attempt to bring the conversation back to her. It was a little difficult trying not to stare at the obvious alien, the other two with markings also getting frequent glances at. Still Sanda was a professional and was able to keep her eyes forward, her expression hard. “Well I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to speak about it back at the Garrison.”

“Well that is why we’re here.” Shiro said, smile pinched. He didn’t forget the fact that it was the Garrison that Keith had to rescue him from. Nor did he forget how they tried to cover up Persephone’s disappearance by claiming it was an accidental pilot malfunction.

Shiro has spent so long away from the Garrison, seeing all kinds of sights, gaining new experience that he liked to believe he learned a thing or two. And one of those things is that the Garrison may try and do what they think is right, but it's debatable if it's for the sake of everyone or for just themselves. Shiro didn’t trust the Garrison to not take kindly to what they were going to tell them. However stubborn Sanda may be, in the grand scheme of things it didn’t matter. Shiro was going to make sure Earth knew what was going on outside the Galaxy no matter what.

///

It was a bit of a problem getting everyone back to the Garrison. The group knew it’d be better to leave their Lions where they were, however none of them wanted to climb into a Garrison vehicle. So the group decided to split on who went in Colleen’s jeep and who wanted to repeat the reckless action of climbing onto Tex’s bike like they did so long ago.

Pidge and her family went to the jeep, obviously. Coran and Allura were also offered a spot which just left the remainder of Voltron and Krolia to figure out how’d they do this. It was clear with the way Sanda was looking at them that she didn’t approve, however she wisely didn’t say anything and instead climbed into her own vehicle.

Once they reached the Garrison it at first seemed like Tex and Colleen were going to be barred from entering on account of being civilians and not having clearance, but the argument died before it even started. Just from a single look it was clear neither would be leaving anytime soon. Colleen had a death grip on her children’s hands and, had she a third arm, she would’ve been clinging to her husband as well. Tex, on the other hand, was practically attached at the hip to Krolia. And from the glare she leveled at the Garrison soldiers, it was like daring them to refuse.

“So this is an Earth school?” Allura whispered, her and Coran glancing around curiously as they were led into the Garrison. Though class was in session, many people were still rushing around. The alarms going off on objects entering the atmosphere really scrambled those on base.Even if the alarms had long since ended, people were still tense with anticipation. And until the Garrison released an announcement on what the objects were, their fears would continue to fester.

Anyone in the hall stopped to stare at the group being led. Jaws dropped, eyes bugged out of their skulls, and people uselessly pointed at the ones they assumed were missing or dead. And then they would do doubletakes just to stare at the tall purple alien walking beside them. 

“Kind of,” Hunk said to the Princess, smiling partially. “The Galaxy Garrison is specifically for training people to be space explorers. It’s more military based.”

“And the other schools are not?”

“Nah, other schools are more chill. No military system whatsoever.” Lance paused, brow furrowing slightly. “Sorta.”

Coran hummed, tugging on his mustache. “So they’re separated? Odd. But whatever! So! This is where Keith went to school and met you all?”

“Oh we didn’t meet Keith till like… _After_ he left the Garrison. Shiro met him though!” Hunk glanced around, taking note of the people staring. At this point he was shocked to admit that he was kind of used to it. Being a Paladin of Voltron usually meant he’d be some center of attention. And after doing the Voltron show and everything, this amount of focus was small by comparison. Hunk found that he didn’t mind it as much as he would have nearly a year ago.

Iverson stopped in front of one of the Garrison’s rooms specifically designed for meetings between the higher ranking officers. There was a senior officer standing outside who saluted the group, informing Sanda that the other important officers were already inside. 

The group all filed in, numerous stares directed their way. Sanda was the first to sit at the head of the table, the members of Voltron populating the opposite side. It was obvious when people realized just who Sam, Matt, and Shiro were. Those who knew that Shiro had crash landed on Earth nearly a year ago weren’t as surprised, however it still caused a round of murmuring to spring up.

Since it was clear none of the human officers would start speaking, Allura felt it was her duty to be the first. She cleared her throat, standing from her chair and offering a diplomatic smile to the humans boring holes into her with their gazes. “Greetings, I am Princess Allura of Altea. I thank you for providing us this opportunity to speak about the encroaching danger outside of your galaxy.”

Allura inclined her head to Pidge who leaned forward, placing a device on the table. It beeped for a moment before a large star map appeared in the air. It was the map of the Voltron coalition and the systems occupied by Galra rule. 

“Currently the galaxy is being ravaged by a tyrannical ruler.” Allura began, choosing her words carefully. From what Pidge had told her, humans got really annoyed when made to feel inferior. She wasn’t sure how accurate this was but Allura was a ruler, she was trained to deal with difficult people. As Pidge switched from the screens, showing pictures of the Galra ships and their infectious technology clinging to planets, the expressions of the Garrison soldiers shifted like a kaleidoscope. 

“So are you saying that this… Galra Empire is coming towards Earth?”

“We aren’t entirely sure,” Shiro spoke up, glancing briefly at Allura. When she gave him a subtle nod he stood and continued speaking. “Because nearly all of the Voltron Paladins are humans, it stands to reason that Zarkon would target Earth to try and use it as a bargaining chip. They learned about Earth because the Blue Lion was here. And even before then, Sam, Matt, and I were their prisoners for a long time.”

“I managed to get rescued by rebels, but dad and Shiro didn’t.” Matthew added from where he sat, arms crossed over his chest. “And from my time with the rebels, I’ve seen what the Galra Empire can do to an unprepared planet. This isn’t a joke.”

“Zarkon is relentless in his desire for the Lions. He destroyed my home, tried to eliminate the entire Altean race…” Allura frowned minutely, closing her eyes to compose herself. She then leveled Sanda and the other soldiers with a heavy look that spoke of the pain and fighting she’s endured over her long life. “Altea may be gone but my people still exist. And as Princess I vowed to never let another planet suffer like my people have.”

From there discussion turned to letting the planet know about the potential threat. Sanda, of course, was stubborn about it and refused. Allura met her head on with the argument that it would cause a panic if the Galra were to appear. That Earth would be left open to attack and taken by surprise. For Allura and Coran, they found the notion of keeping the entire planet ignorant as a selfish action. 

Allura’s father was the ruler of Altea, the whole _planet_. And while there were other royals in charge of their own areas of Altea, ultimately Alfor was the reigning King everyone answered to. And Alfor, like Allura, would never hide such a danger from the entire planet. As rulers, it was their duty to provide answers for their people. To refuse would be to doom them.

Both women went back and forth, arguing their stances on the matter. Even Shiro, Sam, and Krolia began to join the verbal fight. Sanda might have tried to flex her control over Shiro and Sam since they were technically still a part of the Garrison, but Allura and Krolia had no such bindings. 

“If you will not tell your people, then you leave us no choice but to take this into our own hands. You are a part of this war whether you have signed up for it or not. No one asked to be involved, but against Zarkon it is a fight we must all participate in. We wish to help prepare you for anything that may happen, but we cannot do so effectively if you intend to keep the rest of Earth in the dark about this.”

And with that Allura stood from her chair and bid farewell, exiting the room. The members of the coalition followed right after their Princess. Outside, Allura huffed once the door closed behind them, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I cannot fathom such an action coming from a ruler!”

“It’s just how human governments are,” Lance said, placing a comforting hand to her shoulder. “Cover things up and pretend they didn’t happen. It's what they did when Shiro went into space and got taken by the Galra. They said it was a pilot error.”

“And when ya lot shot off into space in Blue, the Garrison wouldn’t tell me why y'all were in trouble, just said ya did something worthy of treason.” Tex quirked a wry grin, “Y’all are just better off lettin’ Earth know on your own. What’re they gonna do? Charge ya with treason?”

“They could barr us from entering Earth again.” Krolia said with a shrug.

Tex tutted, reaching over to rub a hand against her back. “Aw sweet pea, ya know I’d leave Earth for ya if you asked.”

Coran pulled at his mustache as he squinted at Tex. Then like a lightbulb going off, his expression brightened and he snapped his fingers, grinning at the human. “Ah! So you’re Keith’s father! He’s told me plenty about you!”

That caught Allura’s attention and she was quick to perk up. Together both her and Coran eagerly began talking with Tex, Coran recounting some stories of Keith’s youth while Tex did the same.

The group shuffled slowly from the Garrison, sticking to their own conversations. For Hunk and Lance, they were quick to realize that being on Earth meant they could visit their families. The problem just laid on how to get there. After all it wasn’t like they could pick up their Lions and fly home. That’d just cause a scene! 

It was just as the two were spitballing ideas that their conversation was interrupted from the sharp clack of heels power walking towards them. 

“Lance!”

The large group all looked up just in time to see Lance get nearly bowled over by a taller woman. She bore a striking resemblance to their Red Paladin and clung to him with all the strength of a bear. Tears seemed to be gathering in the corners of her eyes, but she was too busy clinging to Lance to bother wiping them away.

Lance blinked, stunned for a moment before his face broke out in a wide grin. “Veronica!” 

By this point word had gotten round that there were _aliens_ on base. And not just aliens but the missing cadets _and_ the Persephone crew. Of course this meant people were scrambling to find and see the group, work be damned. It had probably been out of polite awe that no one dared approach the group yet. However there was no such hesitation when it came to family.

“What were you thinking?!” Veronica scolded, pulling back to try and give Lance a glare. “Going out into space without warning! You could’ve sent a note! Do you know how worried everyone was?”

“It’s not like it was planned!” Lance tried to make excuses but Veronica wasn’t hearing it. She grabbed Lance by the ear, tugging him with the demand that they were going home and he could tell _everyone_ there. Hunk, sensing an opportunity, quickly followed after, asking if Veronica could drop him off at his house. Hunk and Lance didn’t live far from each other, so surely it wouldn’t be a problem. And from the fact that Hunk didn’t return, the group assumed his request was accepted.

“Well… That was something!” Coran said with a laugh, “Ah family!”

“She has a point,” Colleen said with an amused smile, “We should also get going. I don’t want to leave Bae Bae alone in the car for long. Princess Allura, Coran, you’re free to come with us if you’d like. Experience an authentic Earth meal.”

“Oh! That would be lovely!”

“Yes quite! Thank you for the opportunity!”

Matthew nudged Shiro, grinning widely at him. “You’re coming too, right?”

“He’d better.” Colleen cast a smile towards Shiro, though from the narrowing of her eyes it was clear she was challenging him to refuse. 

Shiro chuckled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders, “Well it’s been a while since I’ve had a Holt dinner.”

Tex glanced over the group, nodding to himself before looking up at Krolia. “So, how about ya hun? Got any plans?”

She leveled him with an unamused look, crossing her arms over her chest. “I have not seen you for nearly 17 years. We are going home and you _will_ be calling in from work tomorrow.”

With that Krolia broke off from the group, walking towards the entrance of the Garrison. Tex wheezed out something that sounded like ‘ _yes ma'am_ ’ before bidding the group farewell. He then picked up his pace to follow after his wife, reaching out to take her hand. From where they stood it was easy to see how Krolia’s expression softened when Tex kissed the back of her hand. Her adoration for her smaller mate was still as strong as ever even after all these years.

“How sweet.” Colleen cooed, leaning against Sam.

Her husband hummed in agreement, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “Come on. Let’s go home.” 

It was just as the group were pushing open the doors to the Garrison’s front entrance that they were halted once more by someone. Their voice was soft, the single word spoken heavy with disbelief. 

“Shiro?”

As a collective they turned to look, seeing a single man standing a few feet from them. Shiro’s eyes widened, feeling his heart squeeze. “Adam…”

Sam glanced between the two before he patted Shiro on the shoulder. He offered him a reassuring smile, “Go on ahead. We’ll wait for you in the car.”

Nodding, Shiro swallowed hard before he took the necessary steps towards Adam. When he was finally standing before him, Shiro hesitated before he smiled sheepishly. “I’m back…”

The sound of his voice snapped Adam from whatever trance he’d been in. His usual put-together expression faltered as healed wounds were ripped back open. His sharp inhale shuddered in his lungs, eyes turning glossy with tears. 

Adam chuckled wetly, raising a hand to scrub furiously at his eyes. “Looks like Keith was right. You really didn’t…” 

His expression crumbled and he covered his face, mouth quivering as he sobbed. Shiro didn’t even think as he pulled Adam into a tight hug. From the time that’s passed, Shiro’s feelings for Adam had tampered down. He still cared deeply for him, but now it was different. Now he only loved Adam as a friend, like before they had been dating. In Shiro’s heart, someone else occupied it the way Adam had used to. And while unexpected, he could never find it in himself to mind.

“Well Keith kind of cheated, so it’s not your fault.”

“Cheated? What does that even mean?” Adam sniffed, trying hard to compose himself. Here he was crying like it was that day all over again. His feelings were an absolute mess. He was confused, relieved, and maybe a little bit angry. If Shiro was alive this whole time, why didn’t he come back to Earth? Just what was he doing out there?

“A lot happened. But to put it bluntly, Keith’s an alien and he could see glimpses of the future.” Shiro said with a little laugh, “Which explained so much. Like how he didn’t know what kettle corn was.”

Adam squinted at Shiro for a long while before he snorted. He shook his head and wrapped his arms around himself. “Yeah… Makes sense. Where is he, by the way? I figured he’d be with you guys… He did go into space, right? The Garrison says he’s wanted for treason, but everyone’s saying that all the missing cadets are back.”

“Ah… Yeah, he’s still out in space. Like I said, a lot happened so we had to leave him behind. He’ll join back up with us when he’s able to.”

Adam nodded along to Shiro’s explanation. He gave one more wipe to his eyes before reaching out to pat Shiro’s arm. “Alright… You’d better go. Don’t want to keep the Holt’s waiting.”

Shiro frowned at that, his brows furrowing in concern. “Are you sure?”

As he took a step back Adam gave a half-hearted shrug. “Yeah. My… My head’s a mess right now trying to comprehend all this. I need some time to come to terms with it. That you guys are back, Keith’s an alien, you apparently brought aliens with you, and who knows what else. It’s a lot. My whole world’s just been shaken up, you know?” 

“You do seem to be taking it kind of well though?”

“Shiro, I’m internalizing. I’m about five minutes away from having a meltdown.” Adam’s dry humor didn’t go unnoticed by Shiro. He chuckled softly, Adam giving a wry smile in response. He offered another pat that was followed by a small push. “Now go. We can talk about… All this,” He gestured to Shiro’s uniform, “Later.”

“Got it. Promise you won’t do anything reckless?” Shiro couldn’t help but ask in concern.

Adam’s deadpan glare was so familiar that for a moment Shiro felt he was still a soldier at the Garrison. It didn’t help matters when Adam crossed his arms over his chest and said in his familiar unimpressed tone, “I’m not you or Keith. Thrill seeking is far above my paygrade.”

Barking out a small laugh, Shiro grinned wide. He nodded, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “No denying that, especially now. Though between you and me, I’d say Keith is more of a thrill seeker than me. But that’s probably because he’s made of sturdier stuff.”

“I’ll just have to take your word for it.” Adam flicked his hand, making a shooing motion. “Now go on, I’ve kept you long enough.”

“I’m going, I’m going.” Shiro pushed open the Garrison door, pausing for a moment. He looked over his shoulder, flashing Adam a small smile. “See you later.”

Adam mirrored the look, “Yeah, see you.” And as Adam watched him leave, it was with the knowledge that this time Shiro would come back. It wasn’t a permanent goodbye, it was simply a farewell for now. And that did wonders in making his heart feel lighter.


	2. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More aliens come to Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter (and next) chapter will mostly be a form of set up for what's to come. Sorry if that's considered "boring" for everyone! I promise it'll pick up in chapter 4 at least. Anyways thank you all for your patience! I hope you enjoy this chapter even if it might be a bit dull.

“Admiral Sanda and the others finally settled on a deal, but I’m still unsatisfied with it.”

“ _ It is the best you could do given the circumstances, Princess. _ ”

“I suppose…” Allura said with a soft sigh.

“Allura’s got a point though.” Lance pipped up from where he lounged in the Red Lion’s chair. “I mean we moved the castle ship out of range from Earth’s scanner’s, agreed to wait for them to set up a press conference, and even agreed to let them write the script. We’re letting the Garrison dictate a lot of what gets to be said and what doesn’t.”

“ _ That may be true, however Allura is technically a guest on Earth. She cannot do anything that would potentially damage relations between Earth and Altea. _ ”

Currently the Voltron Paladins were back on the Castle Ship filling Lotor in on what had happened so far. While they’d hoped to also have Keith in the call, he was apparently helping the Alteans get settled inside Oreande. With help from Lotor’s Generals, some Blade members, and the colonists, Keith had started the construction of homes for the Alteans to live in. After all, the temple itself was sacred, not something fit for housing hundreds of Alteans.

“Oh please, we all know it’d be better to just ignore whatever script the Garrison writes up.” Pidge rolled her eyes with a petulant scowl, “They tried to cover up the Galra kidnapping my family. Why wouldn’t they try to cover up more things about Zarkon? Especially the danger he poses!”

Shiro crossed his arms over his chest and frowned in response. He didn’t trust the Garrison all that much either, but he still wanted to remain optimistic. “We don’t know that yet. And besides, Coran and Krolia are helping them write the script. Between the two of them, I’m sure things that need to be said will be.” 

Of the group, Shiro and Allura were the only ones not sitting. Allura was pacing back and forth, allowing herself to shed decorum while amongst friends. It only helped slightly to alleviate the stress from the past few days. 

So far they’d been on Earth for nearly a full movement. Only today had they found the time to gather together and try to contact those on Oriande. The call to Keith’s communicator didn’t go through, as did the call to Lotor’s. However Acxa did pick up hers and after a brief greeting she passed over the device to Lotor. He’d been busy helping Romelle escort the next group of Alteans onto a pod, which explained why he hadn’t been able to answer.

“ _I can understand your frustrations. However this is something that must be handled delicately. Though I would still advise to not let your guard down, especially for those of you that_ ** _are_** _human._ ”

Hunk frowned, “What do you mean?”

“ _ It is merely a precaution. I worry that your people may force you into the difficult position of choosing your fellow man over Voltron. That they would claim it is your duty as Earthlings to side with them no matter what. _ ” Lotor paused, glancing at someone offscreen. They were speaking Altean, too faint to be picked up by the communicator. 

Lotor nodded, reaching out and taking a datapad from them. He gave it a quick glance over, tapping out something before responding to the Altean and handing it back. Then he turned his attention to Voltron, smiling apologetically. “ _ I’m afraid I have to go. We’re ready to move out now and Yorak is preparing the wormhole. We’ve been in contact with the Blade of Marmora and Kolivan intends to send some agents your way. Krolia has been out of the loop for quite some time, after all. We will contact you when Yorak’s planning to send them over. _ ”

Shiro crossed his arms over his chest, nodding. “We’ll be ready to greet them when they arrive. Any clue who’ll be a part of the entourage?” 

“ _ No, I’m afraid not. But not to worry, Yorak assures me they’re familiar faces to you. _ ”

“Alright,” Allura’s smile softened, a tinge of worry entering her eyes. “Please be careful, the lot of you. Don’t overwork yourself.”

Lotor’s mouth quirked into a small smile and he nodded, “ _ We will try our best, Princess. _ ” 

He then bid the group farewell before ending the call. They sat in silence for a moment, taking in everything Lotor had said and the concerns he expressed. Eventually it was Lance to be the first to breach the silence. “I don’t care whatever happens, I’m not turning my back on Voltron. This isn’t a human vs. Voltron thing.”

“Yeah!” Pidge straightened up in her seat, “We may be human but this is bigger than us! Voltron’s for the universe. We were lucky the Lions let us pilot them! I’m not giving that up for anything.”

Their enthusiasm was infectious, garnering a few laughs from their fellow Paladins. However as Allura’s chuckling tapered off, so too did her smile. She didn’t like the idea of her Paladins being made to choose between Earth and Voltron. To be perfectly blunt, there shouldn’t even  **need** to be a choice. She wanted to say Lotor was just being paranoid, but she knew he had experience with things like this. Being made to choose his people over what he thought was right. Zarkon had pitted Lotor’s beliefs against him time and time again. So in all honesty, he had every right to be cautious, especially if it was to protect those he held close.

As if sensing her dip in mood, Allura suddenly found herself in the middle of a group hug. She blinked in surprise, gaze sweeping over every grinning face she could see. “Don’t worry,” Lance said from somewhere on her right, “We don’t abandon family no matter what.”

“And you’re our family.” Hunk added, his large arms tightening in a comforting squeeze. “So turn that frown upside down! You’re not getting rid of us anytime soon.”

“Yeah! We’ll cling to you harder than Lance clings to his ego.”

“Hey!” 

Pidge ducked the swipe for her head, cackling as she used Shiro’s bulk for a shield. That didn’t deter Lance from trying to run around the Black Paladin and make a grab for Pidge. Shiro valiantly tried to get the two to calm down, but it was like wrangling cats. 

The sight was beyond amusing, Allura covering her mouth with her hand and trying to muffle her chuckles. Hunk still had a comforting arm wrapped around her shoulders and Allura found herself leaning into his hold. Trust Hunk to be the best at giving hugs, even if they were only one-armed ones. 

As the two watched their friends playfully chase each other using Shiro as a reluctant obstacle, Allura’s expression eased into a more genuine smile. They were right. They’ve been through so much together. There was nothing that could rip them apart without a fight. She just had to have faith. And that was something Allura found easy to hold when surrounded by such warmth.

///

In the following days, the Garrison and Voltron finally settled on a script that left both parties amicably satisfied. It was early in the day when the broadcast began two movements after Voltron had landed. But despite her slight nerves, Allura managed to tackle this speech as well as she had the many others given before. Allura spoke of Zarkon, the threat he was to the universe, and introduced Voltron. Of course people may have been skeptical about the authenticity of it all, but then came the actual footage of Voltron flying in, giant mech and everything. That was followed by a slideshow of the Galra Empire’s ship, some of the planets that had been under their control, and finally photos of Voltron posing with various aliens. 

The Garrison had been promptly contacted by a few other governments inquiring if the anomalies their own space programs found floating outside Earth at one point were indeed aliens. This led to a day long meeting between various leaders where Allura, as Princess, was given the task of explaining everything in a bit more detail.

Yes, it was her ship that had been floating near Earth for a while. No, she didn’t send off five drones to investigate the planet. Yes, most of her Paladins were humans. No, she didn’t  _ kidnap _ them. Technically speaking Blue did, but those were details Allura swept under the rug and ignored. It would just be another thing to explain that a sentient Lion did any “kidnapping”. Besides, from her connection with Blue ,she knew the Lion wasn’t remorseful in the slightest.

On top of all that, there was little time for Allura and Coran to actually spend time with all their Paladin’s respective families. As the only aliens willing to talk to humans—Krolia seemed to conveniently “ _ disappear _ ” whenever Garrison showed up to talk to her—they were quite busy for most of the day. Though they did manage to take nights for themselves. It was during those times Allura and Coran tried to have dinner with their Paladin’s families if they weren’t too tired.

At first it was a little stiff and awkward with Hunk and Lance’s family. They were pleasant people of course! But they didn’t know how to handle aliens and were clearly afraid of offending a  _ Princess _ . But as the nights wore on they grew comfortable enough to tell jokes and stories. Allura even got to see Lance’s baby pictures, much to the Red Paladin’s embarrassment. His protests were ignored by his mother and his grinning siblings, the group of them teasing Lance red.

Dinners with the Holts and with Tex and Krolia were by far easier to handle. Tex was used to aliens,  _ especially _ Alteans given the fact he raised Keith. So it was quite easy for Allura and Coran to relax. It helped that the man held such a fatherly charm to him that made it feel like you were old friends. And of the Holts, only Colleen hadn’t been whisked away on a space adventure. Though Sam had joked that after the war, he’d take his wife out on one.

A few quintants after the broadcast, Voltron received a heads up from Lotor that the Blade members would be arriving soon. They’d stop by the Castle of Lions first to get a briefing on what to expect when they arrived. Lotor told them that the small entourage consisted of Thace, Ulaz, and Antok. 

At hearing that her brother would be arriving, Krolia wanted to be one of the ones to greet them. Plus it had been a long while since she’d seen Thace or Ulaz. They could do with some catching up.

Going with her to greet them was Shiro, everyone else occupied with matters on Earth. Allura being a diplomat, Coran helping boost Earth’s defenses, and the other Paladins being made to run around doing tasks for Coran.

They only had to wait for half a varga before the Marmora vessel was picked up by the Castle Ship’s radar. From there Shiro opened the bay doors and left with Krolia to go and greet their guests. By the time they reached the doors to the ship dock, the three Blade members were already exiting their ship.

“Shiro, Krolia, it’s good to see you both doing well.” Ulaz spoke first, Marmora helmet fading away as he removed his hood.

“Krolia! There’s that scary mug we’ve missed!” Thace grinned as he stopped beside Ulaz at the end of the ramp. However before he could even step off to greet her, the two of them were shouldered out of the way by Antok’s large bulk. 

“ _ Move _ .”

Antok ignored Thace’s annoyed hiss, trudging up to Krolia and stopping in front of her. The way his tail twitched betrayed the excitement he must’ve been feeling. Krolia had her arms crossed over her chest, giving the other Galra a slow onceover before she seemed satisfied by his relatively intact state. She then reached up, Antok dutifully lowering himself enough that she could reach him. Krolia cupped the back of his neck and gently guided him down so they could rest foreheads against each other.

Krolia hummed, the softness of her voice nearly drowned out by how loud Antok was purring. “Little brother. Are you well?”

“ _ Mmm, thanks to the kit. Without him I would not be here. _ ”

“That makes two of us,” Thace said as he interrupted the sibling reunion. He stuck his arm out, Krolia rolling her eyes before clasping forearms with Thace. “Your little kit saved us quite the painful death!”

“You don’t even know if it would have been painful.” Ulaz huffed, swatting Thace out of the way so he could greet Krolia himself. “But yes, he does have a point. Yorak saved Thace and I from making self-sacrificing decisions.”

Krolia hummed, expression easing into a pleased smile at the mention of Keith. From her side, Shiro also mirrored that expression, though it was tinged with worry. “How is he, by the way? We’ve been able to contact Lotor and his generals, but Keith’s been hard to pin down.”

Both Thace and Ulaz pulled pinched expressions. The medic crossed his arms over his chest and his usually calm demeanor was replaced by frustration. “He’s  _ exhausted _ . There are bags under his eyes that make him look as if he’s growing spots. Acxa has been making sure he eats, however that’s only one relief. The amount of wormholes he’s opening is beginning to take its toll. That’s not even counting the fact he’s personally keeping Oriande hidden. I cannot fully comprehend the extent of the strain, but I imagine it’s a lot. I tried to get him to take a break the quintant I was there, but Yorak is stubborn.”

“Your fault, most likely.” Thace attempted to crack a joke to lighten the mood but from Krolia’s dry glare he knew it didn’t hit. No deterrent for him, though. Thace placed a hand on his hip, nodding towards Antok. “He did rest, though. We had Antok hold him down so he couldn’t move anywhere.” 

“ _ I was lucky he was exhausted. Otherwise he would have put up more of a fight. _ ”

Krolia let out a hiss through her teeth, pinching the bridge of her nose. “We told him not to overwork himself.”

Sharing their concern, Shiro asked, “How long do you think before he transfers all the Alteans?”

At least after that Keith would have time to rest, right? Then he could focus on letting the Guardian gather enough energy to reform itself. And after that he could come back to them… To Shiro. He won’t deny that he longed to have Keith by his side again. It was like when he disappeared for those long months all over again. Only this time Shiro knew where Keith was, he just couldn’t reach him. Not yet at least.

“Well when we got there only about half of the Alteans were transferred. Yorak wants to get plenty of homes built first before they move all of them. Kolivan spared a handful of Blades to help them build, but even then it’s a slow process.” Ulaz said with a thoughtful frown, “Last I heard, Lotor was convincing Yorak to invite some Olkari into Oriande to help with the building process. If it does happen, that should take off some of the strain.”

Krolia hummed, pursing her lips for a moment before she shook her head. “Right now there is nothing we can do to help. Yorak is an adult, he knows his limits.”

“ _ But will he heed them? _ ”

From the grimace she made, it was clear what Krolia’s answer was to that. Still she pushed aside her thoughts on the matter and instead changed the subject. “Come on, they’re expecting us on Earth.”

Antok perked up, tail twitching. “ _ Will we get to meet your mate? _ ”

“If you behave. Shiro, will we all be taking Black?”

“That’s the plan. I’d rather not risk Earth panicking over an unfamiliar ship landing. They’ve seen Voltron so they know to expect us coming on and off planet, but anything else is new to them.” Shiro said, smiling apologetically.

Antok hummed, nodding slowly. “ _ It matters not how we arrive. Whatever you think is best to make a first impression. I will be here to represent the Blade on Kolivan’s behalf. _ ”

As they moved through the ship to the Black Lion’s hangar, Krolia moved to her sibling’s side. She gave him a side-eyed glance, her younger brother inclining his head to her in a silent question. “So tell me, while I’ve been under cover, have the two of you begun courting each other?”

“ _ Ah… _ ” Antok turned his mask so he was actively looking away from Krolia. Behind him his tail was lashing away in embarrassment. “ _ No… Our courting… _ ”

“Oh you couldn’t even call it a courting phase. It lasted a  _ movement  _ and suddenly they’re mates.” Thace snickered, slinging his arm over Ulaz’s shoulders. “We at least had the decency to court for a phoeb before becoming mates.”

Ulaz rolled his eyes but said nothing to refute or chastise his mate. It would’ve fallen on deaf ears anyways. Thace seemed to always tune Ulaz out when he was in a “ _ scolding mood _ ”, as the other eloquently put it. Honestly if Ulaz didn’t love him he would’ve strangled the oaf by now.

Krolia snorted, “I’m not surprised. You’ve always been the type to fight for what you wanted.”

Antok could only shrug in response to that. They gradually fell into a silence after that, each to their own thoughts. However eventually Krolia asked, voice soft in the silence of the ship. “Are you happy?”

“ _ Mmm. And you? _ ”

“Yes… Happy as a clam.” 

The confusion amongst the other Blade members was audible. “ _ What… What is a clam? _ ”

Both Krolia and Shiro laughed at that. Shiro was more content to listen to everyone’s banter rather than join in. The worry he felt over Keith seemed to steal his desire for conversation away.

As Krolia’s laugh tapered out, she gave an indulgent huff, “Stars if I know. Tex is always saying odd things like that.” Yet there was no denying that the thought of Tex had Krolia visibly softening. She may not understand half the things that came from his mouth, but she held onto each word like it was a precious gem. His silly phrases, weird cursing, every bit that spilled from his lips had Krolia tucking them away fondly. She didn’t know how she managed to survive so long away from her mate and kit. Krolia imagined she would’ve gone mad had things not changed the way they did.

Antok studied his sister’s expression for a while. He watched as the hard lines of her face eased into something more relaxed. After a moment more Antok’s voice rumbled deep in his chest, a tampered down purr lining the edge of his words. “ _ I can’t wait to meet your mate, then. He seems like a good man. _ ”

With another smile, Krolia hummed in agreement. “Yeah… He is.”


	3. Lion Cubs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the behest of Keith, the Avok Fighters have been sent to Earth. Not only to build relations for the future Galra Emperor, Lotor, but to also help the Avok Fighters learn about their... New additions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Posting this a little late on account of exciting life things happening. Just graduated from college so there's that! The start of bonding in this chapter! I'm really excited because I kind of want to expand on Lotor's little found family uwu Maybe have more moments of connection in the future. And not only that, but this chapter sets up for something fun planned next chapter~ I'm very excited for that. I hope you all are as well! Anywho, thank you for reading and for leaving comments! I greatly appreciate your enthusiasm for my story!

It’s been nearly two phoebs since Voltron arrived on Earth. In this time they’d managed to make some accomplishments. Not a lot, but it was a start. The process of integrating technology was slow and steady. And at this point people were somewhat used to the appearance of Allura and the Blades. 

With things reaching a sort of amicable lull, Allura had started sending out Voltron again. They set off in individual groups to check on the liberated planets and even help out where they were needed. On one such trip back an exasperated Shiro had returned with Slav. This made the work with Earth’s defense a lot more pleasant. Though the same can’t be said for those who had to  _ work _ with Slav.

It was during one of their returns back to Earth that Voltron received a call. The moment it was answered and Keith’s face appeared on their individual screens, a wave of delight overtook the Paladins. Though even that didn’t last long and they were quickly overcome with worry.

Keith had clearly seen better days. His hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and he looked in dire need of sleep. Exhaustion draped over him like a cloak and they could see it in the lines of his face. But still his eyes sparkled with excitement and he was smiling as wide as Keith could smile.

“ _ Hey guys. _ ”

“ _ Keith! Looking good man! I mean- Well not really but-. _ ”

“What Lance is trying to say is nice to see you.” Pidge grinned, jumping through the wormhole in front of her. She appeared in front of the Castle of Lions, Red already there. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the other Lions to return.

“ _ Yorak, you look… _ ” Allura hesitated, clearly trying to find a polite way to tell Keith he looked terrible.

Cracking a grin, Keith shrugged helplessly. “ _ Yeah, I know. Ezor and Romelle have kindly let me know I look like shit. But that’s not why I called. Sorry I haven’t been able to chat, I’ve been busy. We only now just transferred all the colonists to Oriande. Between getting them settled, I started running the Guardian’s trials to see if there’s anyone with enough Quintessence to become an acolyte or alchemist. We’ve surprisingly got quite a lot!” _

Allura’s sharp inhale was swiftly followed by her tentative question. “ _ Truly? The Altean art of alchemy is not lost? _ ”

“ _ Not entirely. They need some guidance, but Lotor and I’ve managed the basics. There’s quite a few fast learners. We even managed to finish a… Little project. You’ll be seeing it soon enough. _ ” For a moment Keith trailed off, eyes glancing out towards something. His expression warmed considerably and he sighed, leaning against a pillar. “ _ They’re eager to meet you and Coran, Princess. They’d thought the main royal family to be long gone. Shockingly enough, the descendants of Prince Alrutl are here. Same with Princess Pelu. Their family’s been acting as leaders of the colonists this whole time. _ ”

“ _ Amazing, I wish I could be there to meet them all. But... _ ” Allura felt a deep sense of longing to head to Oriande. Her people… They were so close! She could visit them at any point in time, nothing was stopping her! Well… Nothing except Earth. Allura had to stay on it and oversee diplomatic meetings and things of similar ilk. As the reigning expert of Voltron and how it functions, the Garrison have been quite curious in trying to recreate the majesty that was Voltron. Allura told Keith as much, making sure to tack on that she already had no intention of aiding them in such an effort. 

Keith barked a laugh at that, his grin widening. “ _ Good. Besides, even if they wanted to, they’d need the comet. And that’s no longer available. _ ”

In a flash Allura had opened another wormhole, Black and Yellow coming out. As the four Lions flew back to hover around the castle ship, the Paladins all cast confused looks at their missing friend.

“ _ What do you mean? Did something happen to the comet? _ ”

Keith let out a chuckle and crossed his arms over his chest, “ _ Like I said, we’ve been working on a little project. They should be arriving soon. I set them just outside the milky way. _ ”

“‘ _ Them’? _ ”

“ _ Avok Fighters. The ladies were getting antsy so I figured I’d send them your way. I already intended to have Lotor go to Earth anyways since he’ll be taking over after Zarkon kick’s the bucket. It’ll just be smart for him to show Earth he’s a leader worthy of trust before that happens _ .”

Allura slowly nodded at her station on the castle ship’s bridge. She switched from the large screen to the one on her communicator, looking down at it while heading to the Blue Lion’s halls. “That would be wise. And even if the humans are reluctant, Altea stands firm behind Lotor and his ascension to the throne. So if they wish to ally with us, they will have to understand that allying with Lotor is non-negotiable. ”

Keith quirked a small smile at that, “ _ Good to hear. So! What’d I miss? Pidge, how’s your mom? How’s my dad? _ ”

“ _ Mom’s good! She’s surprised you’re an alien though. Wants to apologize for offering you meat after learning Alteans are vegetarians. _ ”

The way Keith’s expression eased when he laughed was a relief to the team. It’d been a long while since they’ve heard his voice, let alone his laugh. Though they knew he was safe on Oriande, they still missed him. Getting to talk to him again was like a balm for burned skin. It soothed a pain they didn’t even know still hurt.

“ _ Tell her she’s fine. I’m not really a vegetarian anymore. Being raised with Krolia kinda changed that. She mostly ate meat so I got curious about the taste, rest is history _ .” Keith punctuated his statement with a small shrug.

From there he spoke with the other Paladins, laughing at something they said or just nodding along. They could tell Keith was growing tired, his responses sometimes just becoming small hums. His words had even begun to slur, eyelids drooping like he would fall asleep where he stood.

However Keith, just like the others, was very reluctant to put an end to the conversation. They missed him and he missed them. Perhaps they could find some time to pop in to visit Oriande? Allura could make a wormhole so Keith didn’t have to. Maybe with Lotor here there’d be a bit of leeway for her to slip away? But it would have to wait till Lotor is used to being on Earth. She wouldn’t want to leave him and his generals stranded!

“ _ You should sleep, Keith. You deserve it. _ ” Shiro said, voice pitched softly to try and coax the other to agree.

Keith hummed, eyes closed for several long ticks before he forced them open. “ _ Mmm… You sure? _ ”

“ _ Yeah man, _ ” Lance laughed, for once restraining from teasing Keith at how mushy he was being. “ _ We’ll still be here when you wake up! _ ”

Hunk flashed the screen a thumbs up, grinning wide at Keith. “ _ Just focus on sleeping lots and helping the Guardian recover! If you need, I’ll send you a care package. Me and my mom have been cooking up a storm since I’ve got back! Oooh maybe I can get a recipe from Allura and Coran and make some Altean snacks for you to pass around? _ ”

“ _ Mmm… That’d be… Nice… _ ” Keith mumbled, head drooping.

His hold on the communicator dipped and just when they thought it was going to drop from his hand, the screen jostled and Romelle’s face took up most of it. She blinked, smiling brightly, “ _ Hello everyone! Sorry you’re having to cut your conversation short. _ ”

“It’s no trouble, Romelle. How are you doing?” Allura asked as she climbed into Blue and powered up her Lion. Without even needing to ask, Blue switched the screen so Romelle was on her monitor and not Allura’s wrist communicator. Allura patted Blue’s control’s in thanks before taking a hold of them and boosting out of the docking.

“ _ Oh I’m just fine! My brother, Bandor, passed the Guardian’s test!! I’m so excited for him! And he’s just finished his Shifting! It’s all been quite the hectic phoeb! _ ” She clapped her hands, happy expression freezing at a loud thump behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder and her expression quickly shifted to panic. “ _ Ah! I forgot about Yorak! Quick, Luka, Olmu, come help me carry Yorak into the temple! _ ” She then looked down and offered a quick smile to the Paladins, behind her two Alteans seen partially on screen as they quickly bent down to pick up the lump that was Keith. “ _ Apologies, we’ve got to go! But Yorak will call you when he wakes up! _ ”

With an enthusiastic wave Romelle hung up the call, the screen disappearing and leaving the Lions in silence. After a pregnant pause, Allura let out a soft exhale. “Wow…” Though it had only been a glimpse, there was no denying the markings and ears on those people. They’d been  _ Alteans _ . This was really happening, her people really had survived. It had all been so surreal. Allura still couldn’t believe it to be the truth even after meeting Romelle. She didn’t think it would fully sink in till she actually saw them on Oriande. Allura wondered if she’d be able to keep from crying. Probably not.

“ _ Soooo we’re just gonna wait here for the Avok Fighters to show up? _ ” Lance asked, his face appearing on their screens.

Beside his, Pidge’s face also appeared, “ _ What do you think Keith meant by ‘project’? He used the comet for it, so it must be something big right? _ ”

“ _ What like Voltron big? You think Keith made another Voltron??? _ ”

Allura frowned, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “No, I don’t think that’s the case. Yorak respects Alfor and his work. He wouldn’t try to make another Voltron. But maybe… Something else?”

“ _ Well whatever it is, we’ll know when Lotor and his generals get here. _ ”

And with Shiro’s words holding a note of finality, the group settled in to wait for the arrival of the Avok Fighters. Lance and Hunk broke out a game of virtual cards, the rest of the team watching the two play on their screens. Somehow that switched to all of them playing Old Maid, Allura eager to try after getting a rundown of the rules.

During their wait they received a few calls from Earth, simple check-ins that didn’t warrant any of them returning. The only thing of note was that after learning the Avok Fighters would be coming to Earth, Ulaz wanted to give them a more thorough check-up since he wasn’t able to on Oriande. Other than that, they spent a half-hour waiting, till finally they received pings from their Lions that five ships were approaching. 

“That should be Lotor.” Shiro’s call had everyone perking up to attention.

With a dramatic groan Lance exclaimed, “ _ Finally! I’m freaking starving over here! _ ” 

The Green Lion shook its head, Pidge turning her Lion to face Red. “ _ Didn’t you eat lunch? _ ”

“ _ Uh  _ **_no_ ** _. I had to go visit the bug planet, remember? I’m still trying to wash out the taste from the  _ **_last_ ** _ meal I had there! _ ”

Any response the others might’ve given to agree with Lance’s statement was interrupted by the arrival of the Avok Fighters. They’d been blasting through space at break-neck speeds, only now slowing down as they approached the Lions. Then their coms connected, Lotor and his general’s faces appearing on their screen. “ _ Greetings Paladins. I trust you’re all doing well? _ ”

“We’re doing fine.” Shiro’s smile turned strained and he shrugged off a laugh, “Tired though. Been running around the past week making sure Zarkon doesn’t take back control.”

Lotor nodded in sympathy, “ _ I can imagine the toll. We as well are quite tired, so apologies if we wish to keep this reunion brief. _ ”

“ _ Come on!!! _ ” Ezor loudly whined, slumping in her seat and throwing her head back with a groan. “ _ We’ve been flying all day! Can’t we save the chitchat for when we’re on the ground? I wanna see Earth already! _ ”

The group chuckled at her antics, the familiarity of it bringing a sense of normalcy they desperately needed. Things were stressful for them all and it only seemed to be mounting. They were reaching what appeared to be the end of the war and with it, hopefully a sense of peace. It was as exhilarating as it was exhausting. After this war, everyone would need rest. And for those fighting in it, it was something they deserved. 

“ _ In due time, Ezor. Recall the main reason why you were eager to come other than to visit Earth. _ ”

At Lotor’s reminder, Ezor let out a loud gasp and instantly straightened up in her seat. “ _ Oh right! Can I show them? _ ”

“I’m guessing this is the project Keith was working on?” Shiro asked on behalf of the team. 

Lotor nodded, “ _ Yes. With so many Alteans passing the Guardian’s test and learning past Altean knowledge, it’s granted us the opportunity to make use of the comet. Originally we were going to use the comet on the White Lion, but then Yorak decided it would be of much better use split between the Avok Fighters. So… Our ships had pieces of the comet integrated into their systems. Originally it was just meant to make our vessels stronger, but Yorak found an idea to be amusing so he tampered with the original idea without our knowledge. Ezor, if you please. _ ”

With the goahead Ezor grinned, her image disappearing. The Paladins of Voltron watched as Avok 3 separated from the Fighter’s V formation, flying forward to be in clear view of both groups.

“ _ Initiating sequence C in three, two, one! _ ”

The group watched as the lights on Avok 3 lit up in a wave. Then the ship began to shift, outer plating rearranging itself before their eyes. It only took a solid minute before the transformation was done and by the end of it, what was left in Avok 3’s place was what appeared to be a lion cub.

It was small, maybe about half of Red’s size. It’s colour-scheme was the same as when it was still a Fighter, the only thing that stood out on its body was the large 3 printed on both shoulders. 

The miniscule feline twisted in the air, its tail curling with it as it floated upside down before the much larger Lions. With the transformation finished and the shock settling in, Ezor’s image appeared back on screen and she grinned. “ _ Ta-da! _ ”

“ _ Holy shit! _ ”

“ _ No way!!! _ ”

There was a booming of noise as the Voltron Paladins excitedly circled Ezor. She was proud to show off, flying with an air of smugness that somehow her Lion managed to convey. She eventually settled on Yellow’s shoulders, looking down at the much bigger Lion.

“ _ As you can see, Yorak’s tampering gave our ships the ability to transform. He said that he merely made the suggestion to the ships, as after the comet was integrated they seemed to gain some level of consciousness. The forms they took were an influence of the Guardian’s current look, so I’ve been told. _ ” Lotor explained with a small incline of his head. “ _ Yorak’s taken to calling us the Avok Cubs whenever we’ve transformed. _ ”

“ _ Aww that’s so cute!! _ ” Hunk cooed, the excitement in his voice palpable.

“ _ Amazing, _ ” Allura watched as Ezor flew around for a moment before she transformed her ship back into the usual Avok Fighter form. “ _ So your… Cubs, they are sentient like the Lions? _ ”

“ _ Can you make a giant robot?! That’d be so cool!!! Zarkon wouldn’t know what hit him if that happens!! _ ”

It was true that Zarkon would be unprepared for a  _ second _ Voltron. Perhaps a smaller one but no doubt still as big of a threat to his empire. However Lotor was quick to remove this notion from their minds. Though he did have the decency to look apologetic about that.

“ _ The Cubs are nowhere near the level of sentience the Lions are, but from our observations we see that to be gradually changing. However we’ve promptly come to the conclusion that they can only switch between their Fighter form and their Cub form. _ ”

“I see…” Shiro crossed his arms over his chest and gave the Avok Fighter’s a thoughtful look. While it was a shame they couldn’t form their own giant mech, that still didn’t detract from the benefits this ordeal brought. Instead of five Lions fighting against Zarkon, they had  _ ten _ . “Have you learned what your Lions abilities are? If they have any, that is.”

“ _ Not yet. It’s one of the other reasons why Yorak decided to send us to Earth. He figured what better way to learn about our Cubs than from the more experienced Lions? _ ”

“ _ It’ll be just like our group training all over again! _ ” Pidge and the others all grinned at the memory of those… Interesting excursions. Like Keith predicted, they did wonders in improving their bonds as a team and their skills as fighters. And now with the Avok Cubs by their side, that meant a new form of team training. Only this time with their Lions.

Allura put a lid on her mounting excitement and diplomatically cleared her throat. “As much as I would love to let us go and see what the Avok Cubs can do, we have to maintain our priorities. First off, we’ll have to pair everyone off. I’ll want to converse with Yorak about that since this was his idea and he might have already pre-planned who would train with who. And even before all of that, Lotor still has to greet the people of Earth.”

She had a point, though that still didn’t stop a few of them from groaning in disappointment. Allura smiled fondly at their antics, shaking her head and barely holding back a sigh. She could feel the thrum of delight coming from Blue, the Lion just as eager to train with these new Cubs as much as her Paladin. Still, Allura held fast to her reasoning and refused to cave just because her Lion was crooning at her to.

“ _ We should probably keep it on the down low about the Avok Cubs. _ ” Shiro pipped up, grabbing everyone’s attention, “ _ Who knows when the surprise will come in handy? _ ”

Lotor nodded, “ _ That is a good idea. Well, with that out of the way, should we begin our flight back to Earth now? _ ”

“ _ Sounds like a plan! _ ”

“ _ Oh man, I can’t wait to show you guys all my favourite spots! _ ”

“ _ Family dinners are going to be getting a  _ **_whole_ ** _ lot bigger. _ ”

With the enthusiasm shared between each pilot, the group of them turned their ships towards Earth and set off. The Voltron Paladins were in the lead, the Avok Fighters following close behind.

///

The introductions were exhausting. Lotor’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be judged for his father’s actions. Working closely and publicly with Voltron’s Paladins did wonders in changing his image, many of their allies trusting him as much as they did Voltron. Yet Earth was detached from the happenings of the cosmos. They had no clue how much Lotor and his generals contributed to the coalition. All they saw was Galra. Or to be more exact, what they saw was their enemy’s spawn.

Lotor crossed his arms over his chest, staring at the fence surrounding the Garrison and the desert beyond. Sitting down around him were his team, only Acxa choosing to stand with him. Ezor was leaning her weight on Zethrid, Narti had Kova on her lap and was focusing her attention on him, running her claws through his short fur. The group of them had fallen silent after coming out here, each lost to their own thoughts over what just happened. 

The initial meeting had gone better than Lotor anticipated. He won’t deny that. However it was still frustrating to see the deep seated distrust in their eyes. Even with Voltron vouching for him and his crew, that still didn’t seem to shake them from their doubts. Would they have to prove themselves all over again?

In any other situation Lotor wouldn’t care. And in the grand scheme of things, he still  _ didn’t _ . But the difference between this species and any other out there was that this was his  _ friend’s _ people. And Lotor wanted to be on good terms with them. For his friend’s sake.

He was jolted from his thoughts by a hand landing on his shoulder. He turned, looking up into the impassive face of Keith’s mother. Krolia inclined her head towards him, “ **Don’t let it get to you. They still don’t trust the Blades either.** ”

“ **Are they really so distrusting of all Galra? The Paladins were never the type to generalize like this.** ”

“ **The Paladins have seen first hand the intricacies of the war. The Humans here only know of the details. And those details state that the Galra are the threat.** ” Krolia noticed the way Lotor’s frown deepened and she pointedly squeezed his shoulder. “ **As I said, don’t let it get to you. Give them time. Either they come around or they don’t.** ”

“ **And if they don’t?** ”

“ **Then who cares? It’s not them you’re here for anyways, you’re here for your friends.** ” Krolia let her hand drop from Lotor’s shoulder and placed it on her hip. She gave the group of them a onceover, turning and gesturing for them to follow. “ **Come on. You’ll be staying with me and my mate.** ”

As she began walking away, Lotor’s generals looked to him for guidance. He merely nodded, that being enough of an answer for them to get up and follow Krolia. As they trailed behind her, it finally hit Lotor that he was about to meet Yorak’s father. And not only that, but this was his first actual conversation with Yorak’s mother. 

The first time they met had been hectic and left no room other than brief introductions. And now Lotor was expected to stay with her and her mate? He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to act. 

For Lotor, he saw Yorak as his father. Did that make Krolia his grandmother? Would she even let him call her that? Or would that be presumptuous of him to assume? Lotor has never been in a situation like this before. Zarkon had been an orphan and Honerva’s parents were deceased before Lotor was even born. And even if they hadn’t been, he doubted Zarkon would’ve even let Lotor meet them. It would have revealed to him his mother’s heritage, and Zarkon had done everything in his power to make sure that side of Lotor died. A shame Lotor lived to defy his desires.

Krolia led the group of them to a Garrison jeep they’d been issued in order to help them get around the area faster. They took a moment to observe it at a closer angle, having only seen them run from a distance. 

“ **Wow, this thing looks old.** ” Ezor blurted.

Krolia snorted, climbing into the front. Lotor took up the passenger seat, Zethrid climbing into the back with Ezor scrambling for her lap. Because Zethrid was so large, she had to hunch over just so her head wouldn’t hit the top of the roof. But even then her large ears were still brushing it. 

There wasn’t much room left for two people to slide into the back. However before Acxa could offer the spot to Narti, the blind half-Galra raised her hand and shook her head. She then leapt up and sat on the roof, her hand gripping tight to one of the bars attached to it. Kova coiled himself tightly around her neck, claws digging into her uniform as if to say he too was holding on.

With that promptly sorted out, Acxa nodded her head and climbed into the car. Krolia gave them all a moment to get settled before she started it up and began driving from the Garrison.

“ **It’ll take us a while to get out to our home. Shiro would have taken us back, but Admiral Sanda is proving to be rather difficult.** ”

Lotor hummed in understanding, sitting pristinely like he was lounging in a throne and not a dusty seat. “ **My nose is not as strong as a full-blooded Galra, however even I could scent the tension in the room.** ”

“ **You think you smelt it? Did you ask Narti? I bet it was so strong she could** **_see_ ** **it!** ” Zethrid pulled a grimace, claws drumming over the edge of the door. “ **Been playing nice with the good guys for so long, I almost forgot what it’s like to be hated.** ”

“ **She does not hate us. We’ve experienced hate, that was not it.** ” Lotor turned his attention out the window, watching the desert pass them by but not registering the sights. “ **It was caution. As a leader, her duty is to do what’s best for her people. She’s right to not trust strangers. Even if it’s Voltron vouching for us, there will still be those who see us as nothing more than what the Empire has painted the Galra as. Warmongering madmen. For her and her fellow leaders, their distrust is justified. They’ve never met aliens before, and suddenly we’re coming to them with news of a war? No matter how frustrating their misgivings are, we cannot let that guide our actions. We know who we are, that’s all that truly matters.** ”

Krolia let out a hum of approval, nodding her head in agreement. “ **Spoken like a true Emperor.** ”

That brought out a small smile from the Prince. Had he less of a grasp on his Galra instincts, he might’ve even purred from the praise. It filled him with bright elation to know he had the approval of Yorak’s mother. Even if he didn’t know her well, he’d already dubbed her as family simply because she was Yorak’s family. Perhaps that was his Galra side showing. Either way, Lotor couldn’t really say he disliked it.

///

“Done enjoying the excitement?”

Lotor had heard the window opening long before Tex had stuck his head out. He offered a diplomatic smile, scooting over as the human began to slowly climb out and settle on the roof beside him.

“It’s… Quite lively inside. I’m used to it, but sometimes I get overwhelmed.” Lotor let himself admit such a vulnerability, finding it shockingly easy to speak his mind to Tex.

Meeting Keith’s father was quite the pleasant affair. He was a kind man and took everything in stride, used to aliens coming in and out of his house. Even more so given the fact the Blades were camping out in his living room. With so many Galra in one place, it was bound to get loud. And even though Zethrid was the only half-breed amongst them with the strongest Galra genes, that still didn’t stop the Blades from treating the Avok Fighters as kin. 

All of the noise had gradually begun to stress Lotor’s senses so he politely excused himself and searched for somewhere to relax. This is what led him to the roof of the house. He’d seen his first Earth sunset on the drive to Tex’s home and now he was enjoying his first night here. 

Other than the loudness from the house, Lotor could hear the howling of some animal, chirpings of another, and the cries of what might be a bird. It was intriguing. Lotor found himself wanting to go out and see what made such sounds. He wondered if this is what Yorak felt like when he first landed on Earth. Did he also try to discover what made those sounds? How much of this place did he explore? 

It was during his pondering that Tex arrived, breaking the young Prince from his thoughts and bringing him back to the present. Tex nodded in understanding, tucking his hands into his jacket and following Lotor’s gaze across the desert. He couldn’t see in the dark as well as the Prince, but he knew this desert like the back of his hand.

“That’s a coyote,” Tex said after a few distant yips. “Wild dogs. Krolia says they taste pretty good. Can’t say I agree, but ya won’t catch me judgin’ her diet.”

“I see…” Lotor tilted his head, listening to the ‘ _ coyote _ ’ howl again before falling silent. “And that chirping?”

“Crickets. An insect. In the summer we’ve got cicadas that make a big ol’ buzzin’ sound. Pain to go to sleep with.” 

“Fascinating.” Lotor rested his arm on his knee, one leg propped up against the roof while the other dangled beneath him. He placed his chin on his arm, closing his eyes and listening to the sounds around him. “I’ve never had a planet to belong to. When I was born, both Daibazaal and Altea were long destroyed. During his time with me, Yorak told me what life was like on both planets. It was informative and I greatly appreciated it, but…”

“It don’t beat the real thing.” Tex filled in with a note of understanding.

The two fell into a comfortable silence that, while Tex found calming, Lotor found grating. The Prince struggled to keep his cool but as the ticks passed by, it only grew harder. He kept glancing to Tex, unsure of how to voice the question that had been plaguing him all evening. It was the same question he wanted to ask Krolia. How should he address them?

When he’d tried to ask Krolia, it had failed spectacularly. Any confidence he’d gained over his long life had promptly fled him the moment he opened his mouth and she looked at him. He’d stuttered over his own words and switched to talking about the house’s structure. It’s  **structure** !

He’d been so mortified. 

What kind of Prince couldn’t even ask a simple question? And what kind of Prince panics over  _ said _ question? He’s faced countless threats without nary a blink, yet in the face of two of his father’s parents, he falters? 

As much as Lotor liked to pretend he didn’t know why that was, the truth of the matter was that he did. Lotor knew himself better than anyone. And he knew that the reason why he couldn’t ask was because he was scared. What would he do if Krolia and Tex reject him as Yorak’s son? Of course Yorak wouldn’t abandon him, Lotor knew this. But the logical side of his brain was being buried by his trepidation. The anxiety was eating away at him like an annoying pest and Lotor couldn’t find the will to do anything about it. 

‘ _ Truly a coward indeed. _ ’ He thought mockingly, bitterness rising in him like bile.

Tex could clearly see Lotor was struggling, though he wasn’t entirely sure what it was he was struggling with. There was a lot of things about Lotor he didn’t know. He’d only heard glimpses of who he’d been and who he was from Keith and Krolia. He also only saw a small facet of the Prince when he was downstairs. While that wasn’t a lot to go off on, Tex liked to think there  _ was  _ one thing he did know just from looking at the Prince. He could clearly see Keith’s influence on him. It wasn’t even in an obvious way. Just something Tex was able to “sense”. Probably given the fact he raised Keith so he was quite familiar with the boy’s mannerism. And from the brief information Krolia had given him about Lotor, Tex was aware that Keith played a big part in Lotor’s adolescence. 

“So, Keith raised ya?”

Lotor’s head snapped up and he nodded quickly, “Yes, he did.” He wanted to say more, but what else could he add? Clarify that it was only for a few deca-phoebs? That would just be needlessly complicated. But no matter how brief, it had left such a big impression on Lotor. Yorak had given him attention and affection when Lotor had been so starved of it. That time, no matter how short, changed the course of Lotor’s life. There were simply no words that could explain how much Yorak’s interference meant to him. 

Once more Tex swooped in to interrupt Lotor’s overworked mind. The human leaned back, humming loudly as he turned his attention up towards the starry sky. “Well… By that logic I guess that’d make ya my grandkid. Can’t say I ever thought I’d get one at this age, but then again I wasn’t plannin’ on havin’ kids in the first place. So, I reckon if ya don’t mind me bein’ human, I’d like to get that connection with ya. Keith’s my kid, and I wanna be involved in his own kid’s life. Even if ya are probably way older than me.”

And just like that Tex had solved Lotor’s dilemma without any effort. Lotor was left there stunned, blinking in a daze as he tried to process Tex’s words. Was it really that easy? 

Tex watched a litany of expressions flash over Lotor’s face. In this moment he was open and vulnerable, the airs of a Prince shaken in the wake of Tex’s abrupt dismantling of Lotor’s anxiety. Smiling at what he saw, Tex reached up and patted the stunned Prince on the head. That snapped Lotor from his shocked stupor, the Prince unable to do anything but blink at Tex with wide eyes.

Tex chuckled, “Yeah, I can see how Keith raised ya. The two of you are pretty alike.” With a final pat to Lotor’s head, Tex stood with only a minor groan. He rubbed at his lower back, flashing Lotor a lopsided smile, “Come on, kid. Let's go back downstairs. It’s only gonna get colder out here at night and we don’t want ya catchin’ the flu.”

It didn’t matter that Lotor had no clue what the ‘flu’ was and why he’d catch it. Nor did it matter that he was being called a ‘kid’ when he was very much older than Tex. All that mattered was the warm feeling settling in Lotor’s chest like a hot coal. It spread throughout his body and dispelled anything that remained of his previously dour mood. It gave him the same sense of deep seated comfort being near Yorak did. This jubilation felt like it was pressing up against his throat, threatening to choke him from the swell of emotions. 

Choosing not to say anything, Lotor instead nodded his head and stood. With one last glance out towards the desert beyond, Lotor turned and followed Tex through the window and back into the house.


	4. Two Royals, One Commoner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At least someone's finally dating!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Happy new year everyone! I wish you all a wonderful 2021! I had fun with this chapter and I apologize if its not to everyone's tastes. This chapter mainly focuses on the Lance/Lotor/Allura shipping and getting them together. I kind of wanted to develop their relationship to that point before I really tackled the main part of the story. So if that ship isn't to your taste feel free to skip this chapter, next chapter actually moves the plot along, I promise! And I can promise that don't worry, there will be a Sheith date in maybe a chapter or two! Allura, Lotor, and Lance won't be the only ones in a relationship nor will they be the main focus. It was just for this chapter where they were at the forefront. Lol but anyways, thank you all for your continued reading and any comment you leave! Even if I don't respond I promise I appreciate them all!

“Come on Lance, you can do this.” The Red Paladin paced back and forth in front of his full-length mirror, trying to give himself a pep talk. “It’s not that hard. You’ve faced harder things! You’re just a normal guy asking out two painfully attractive aliens. No problem! If Shiro can do it, so can you!”

Though perhaps Shiro wasn’t a good point of reference. Has he even asked out Keith yet? They kind of kissed, so that had to count for something, right? As he stared at himself in the mirror, Lance watched his expression turn scrunched as his emotions finally got the better of him.

“It’s hopeless!” He exclaimed, throwing his hands up and grabbing his hair. “Who am I kidding? Comparing myself to Shiro? I’m nowhere near his level of looks! And Allura and Lotor… They’re on a whole other level.”

With a downtrodden sigh Lance collapsed on his bed. He looked up towards the ceiling, staring hard at the flight posters he’d stuck up there before he’d even joined the Garrison. Hard to believe that was nearly three years ago. So much has happened since then. He was a completely different person than the Cuban boy that dreamed of flying through the stars.

Lance rolled onto his side, curling up into a ball and closing his eyes. “What am I going to do?”

A deep rumbling in the back of his head had Lance frowning. He felt a familiar heat run along his senses and do its best to sooth out his nerves. “I can’t  _ just  _ ask, Red. This isn’t any other person I’m asking out. It’s  _ royalty _ ! Two of them!”

The Red Lion chuffed at him. Lance swore if she had eyes she’d be rolling them. The Lion didn’t understand why her Paladin was making this more complicated than it needed to be. He got the approval of both Coran  **and** Yorak, didn’t he? So why wasn’t he going out and declaring them mates?

“People courting is different, Red. And wait--I don’t think you’ve even courted before! You’re a giant mechanical cat! What could you even date?” 

Receiving no distinct answer from his Lion, Lance groaned and rolled over onto his stomach. His words grew muffled as he pressed his face into the bedsheets. “Maybe I should just rip it off like a bandaid. Dive in headfirst, no looking back.”

That garnered a reaction. Red let out a thrilled purr at the idea, her interest peaking at the mention of diving headfirst. Of course she’d start paying attention at any mention of flying fast and carefree. 

“Come on, Red. Not actual flying.”

Lance perked up when someone knocked on his door. As he lifted his head and saw the door open with a creak, Veronica poking her head in. “Hey, we can hear you yelling from downstairs. You… Talking to your Lion?”

Over the time Lance had been home, his family had borne witness to Lance occasionally speaking aloud to his Lion. Had this been before he disappeared into space they might’ve thought Lance needed some professional help. But given the fact they’ve  _ seen _ Lance mentally summon his Lion to fly above their neighborhood, they’ve learned to just accept whatever it was their little Lance could do now. Still didn’t make things any less shocking.

“Trying to. Red’s being difficult.”

Veronica hummed, letting herself into the room so she could sit on the edge of the bed. “Want to talk about it?”

Lance sighed, turning his head so he wasn’t suffocating in the bedsheets. “Kind of? But I don’t know if you can be any help. The only person I could really ask advice from is currently resting on a planet hidden in a white hole a million lightyears away from us. Time zones got nothing on that.”

“Ok… We’ll come back to the fact white holes exist later. Now to the problem at hand: If your first choice for advice isn’t available, then maybe I can be your second?”

Lance squinted, nearly pouting. “What? You?”

“It’s either me or mom.”

Quick to grimace at that prospect and the no doubt awkward talk it would bring, Lance shook his head. He crawled up to a sitting position and tucked his feet beneath him. Veronica mimicked him, bringing back a sense of nostalgia. It reminded Lance of childhood talks with his sister, gossiping the night away and earning a hefty scolding when caught. It helped instil a feeling of comfort to Lance that did wonders in quelling his agitated nerves. 

“Ok so…” Lance inhaled deep, chewing on his lip as he tried to put his thoughts in order. How does one begin explaining that they had big crushes on two alien royals? He doubted there was a manual for such a thing. Though maybe there was? Did aliens publish books? Were there any out there Lance could get his hands on? And if not maybe he could be the one to write it? He bet it’d make bank.

He jolted as Veronica snapped her fingers in front of his face. She flashed him an amused smile, “Focus.”

“Right, sorry. So while out in space, a lot of things happened.” Lance nervously began bouncing his leg, crossing his arms over his chest. “And I’ve met a lot of people while out there. Some have become pretty good friends of mine.”

Veronica, sharp as a knife, instantly caught on to where this conversation might be going. She grinned mischievously, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. “It’s a girl, isn’t it? I bet it’s the Princess! I saw how you were looking at her when she came over to eat last week.” 

Lance’s face was overtaken by a deep blush and he hunched his shoulders. Had he really been that obvious?! Oh stars, did Allura notice? Did Lotor?

Not denying his sister’s guess, Lance helplessly shrugged and glanced off to the side. “Um… It’s not just her?” He chanced a quick look at Veronica and saw how she suddenly looked shocked. He quickly rushed out, “You know the Galra Prince who showed up yesterday?”

Veronica blinked, her eyes growing even wider behind her glasses. Then she was grinning and laughing, shaking her head. “Wow, you really do aim high! Though I won’t deny you’ve got good taste. He’s pretty cute.”

Lance nodded with a dreamy smile, “Yeah, he is.” Then he blinked, shaking his head. “But that’s the problem! They’re crazy attractive! And I just can’t figure out how to ask the both of them out.”

“Wah--The both? Lance--!”

Before Veronica could further voice her disapproval, Lance was quick to wave his hands and interject. “No no, it’s ok! I got confirmation that both Galra and Altean are open to poly! So they’d understand me saying I liked the both of them!”

Veronica’s expressions eased after that confirmation. For a moment there she’d been ready to box her brother’s ears! With that cleared up, she leaned back on her palms and hummed. “Alright… So what  _ exactly _ is the problem? Just invite them out to dinner then ask to date them. Simple as that.”

“But I can’t afford any fancy places! And they deserve to be treated specially.”

As she watched her brother deflate, Veronica couldn’t help but nearly roll her eyes. It was honestly pretty cute to see her brother worrying over this. Still, he seemed to be overthinking it. He obviously knew Princess Allura and Prince Lotor pretty well. Shouldn’t he know what they’d like?

“What if you took them on a moonlit walk? If you wanna be romantic, fly them somewhere on Earth. You’ve got a Lion, use it! Take them to the beach, have a picnic! Or go to the zoo! I’m sure the both of them could use some kind of break from all the political drivel. And Princess Allura hasn’t been able to see much of Earth despite being here for a while, right? It’s perfect!” 

Lance mulled over Veronica’s suggestions. She had a point. But did he really want to take them both to the zoo and ask them out there? Shouldn’t it be more romantic? The moonlit date sounded more appealing. Although… “What if I combine those? And then for dinner I can ask them both out! Yes! Veronica you’re a genius!”

Smugly pushing up her glasses, Veronica grinned as she hopped off Lance’s bed. “Of course I am. So when are you planning to take them out?”

“Maybe by the end of this week? I want to try when they’re both not busy with important meetings.”

Veronica nodded and made her way to Lance’s bedroom door. She hesitated before pulling it open, glancing over her shoulder at him. “Good luck, ok? There’s nothing wrong if you get rejected.”

“I know that,” Lance snorted, flashing her a smile. “I’ve been rejected plenty of times, you know? It wouldn’t be anything new.”

“Yeah, but this is the first time you seem to genuinely like them. I’d hate to see you get hurt.”

That threw Lance for a loop. His smile faltered and his brows furrowed. He and Veronica stared at each other for a lengthy moment before he dropped his head and stared at the ground. “Thanks V…”

Veronica smiled slightly, “What are big sisters for? Now come on, mom’s making lunch.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m coming.” With renewed vigor Lance leapt up from his bed and followed his sister. It was a weight off his shoulders to know he now had a plan. He just had to set some things up to make sure the date went off without a hitch! Easy peasy! No problem!

///

The first stages of the date seemed to be going well. During their lunch break at the Garrison, Lance casually asked both Allura and Lotor if they’d like to go with him to an Earth zoo. It’d almost been a bust when Hunk overheard and opened his mouth to  **maybe** suggest they all go together. “ _ Team Outing _ ” or something like that. But one pointed look from Lance was all it took for Hunk to understand what was going on. He flashed Lance a wink and subtle thumbs up, internally cheering his bro on.

Allura had been eager, wanting a break and excited at the prospect of seeing Earth animals. Lotor’s response was more subdued, him agreeing mostly out of curiosity to see all the planet had to hold. So with the time and day set, the only thing left to do was wait.

The day of the date, Lance had woken up far earlier than he usually would. He spent a full hour going through his morning routine before throwing open his closet and grabbing the outfit he’d set aside prior. The other day Lance had spent a solid four hours mixing and matching his wardrobe, selecting the perfect outfit that would classify him as “ _ irresistible _ ”.

He stared at himself in the mirror, adjusting his coat’s collar. Lance debated if he should dab on some perfume or cologne, but then quickly discarded the idea. Even if Lotor didn’t have a full Galra’s sense of smell, he still wanted to be accommodating. So that meant no potentially strong scents.

A beep from his communicator drew Lance from the various poses he’d been striking in front of the mirror. He quickly scurried over, picking it up and seeing an incoming call from Keith. His eyes widened and he quickly answered, Keith appearing inside what looked like a building.

“ _ Hey. _ ”

“Hey man! What’s up?”

Keith quirked a small smile, giving Lance a pointed once over. “ _ You clean up nice. Excited for your little date? _ ”

Instantly Lance was overcome with a blush. He resisted the urge to hide his face, “You already  _ heard _ ?”

“ _ There’s nothing Lotor doesn’t tell me. Though I’ll admit, he was being coy about it at first. But it isn’t hard to tell something’s up when he’s calling me to ask what outfit would be appropriate for an Earthly outing. _ ”

Lance’s eyes widened and he stared at Keith, flabbergasted. “He called you for that?”

“ _ Yeah. Though I’m not much help when it comes to human date etiquette. So Lotor called Pidge. _ ”

“Pidge knows?!”

“ _ She was going to find out sooner or later. Especially if your date goes well. _ ”

Lance covered his face and let out a loud whine, “Oh man! This is so embarrassing! She’s going to tease me relentlessly!”

“ _ Well look on the bright side, _ ” Keith smirked, Lance taking a peek at his expression and instantly regretting it. “ _ If you marry them then you’ll pretty much be the diplomat between Earth, Galrans, and Alteans. _ ”

Perhaps Lance should’ve been embarrassed by the talk of marriage. That would be the most logical thing to feel, after all. However instead he felt a sudden pang of depression. He frowned, shoulders slumping. “Yeah, for like 60 years. Then I’ll die and it’ll just be Allura and Lotor.”

An odd look passed over Keith’s face. He stared at Lance, clearly debating on if he should say something or not. Changing his mind, Keith shook his head. He glanced off to the side, holding back a sigh. “ _ If you get married, you won’t be dying after 60 years. Talk to Allura about it, she’ll fill you in _ .”

“Wah--?! Dude I can’t just talk about marriage on the first date! You want either of them to run for the hills?”

Keith shot Lance another unimpressed look. He leaned back in his chair, cheek resting on his hand. “ _ Some Galra declare each other as mates the moment they scent each other, even if it’s the first time meeting. Their instincts are always near the forefront of their minds. For Alteans, arranged marriages were a common practice 10,000 deca-phoebs ago, even between interspecies marriages. _ ”

“So… What are you saying?” Lance asked after a moment of confused staring.

“ _ I’m saying _ ,” Keith said, tone turning exasperated. “ _ Just  _ **_talk_ ** _ to Allura. Tell her your feelings on them ‘outliving’ you. I promise one of them will clear it up. _ ”

Lance opened his mouth to voice further doubts, however his communicator chose then to sound off the alarm he’d set up. Lance’s eyes widened when the text flashed across the screen. “Oh crow! I gotta get going if I want to be able to pick up Lotor and Allura on time! Bye Keith! Talk to you soon!”

Keith huffed a sigh but smiled cryptically. “ _ Sooner than you think. Later Lance _ .”

The Altean then hung up, leaving Lance in confusion. What did that mean? Probably a vision of some sorts. With a shake of his head Lance cast those thoughts aside and instead sprinted out of his room and down the stairs. He gave farewell kisses to each member of his family before passing by Veronica on his way to the door. There she tossed him her keys and offered a soft ‘ _ good luck _ ’.

Veronica had been kind enough to offer Lance her car to pick up both Allura and Lotor with. It was to avoid their first choice of travel, which had been Red. Lance had to admit it was a smart choice since the Lion would’ve attracted so much attention. And Lance had a feeling they were already going to get enough of that today. Not just because Allura and Lotor were crazy hot. Of course that would be a big factor! But he knew it’d probably be because they’re aliens and people are still getting used to the idea of aliens existing. 

Allura and Coran had been staying on the Castle of Lions whenever they weren’t sleeping over at one of the Paladin’s houses. However the previous night the two had spent time at Hunk’s house so it would be an easy drive picking up Allura. And then they’d have to take the long commute just to pick up Lotor. After that it was another two hour or so drive back into the city. It’s a good thing Lance is used to flying for hours on end! This kind of drive is nothing compared to what he’s been through!

Lance parked on the curb in front of Hunk’s house, climbing out of the car and heading towards the front door. His fist didn’t even have time to connect with the wood before it was being yanked open and Coran was filling the doorway. Literally.

He had shapeshifted to be taller, ducking down to be seen in the doorway with his arms crossed and a deadly scowl on his face. Lance blinked, the strange sight not phasing him in the slightest. After spending so long in space with Coran he’s learned not to be startled by every little thing. Sometimes Coran still got him, but Lance liked to think he was doing better!

“Hey Coran? I’m here to pick up Allura?”

“So it would seem.” Coran gave a derisive sniff, “I assume Keith gave you the gardening instrument talk over Lotor?”

“What?” He squinted for a moment, “Do you mean shovel talk?? Uh no, he didn’t? Actually he was talking about marriage and stuff.”

Coran instantly deflated and his form shrank back to normal. “Wah? He did?” With a slump of his shoulders Coran sighed, his scowl turning more into a pout. “I really thought he’d have my back on this.”

“I thought you already said it was fine for me to ask Allura out?”

With a wave of his hand Coran straightened up from his slouched position. He placed a hand on his hip and tugged lightly at his mustache with the other. “Oh my opinion on the matter never really mattered in the first place. I may be Allura’s guardian, however it’s her you’re asking out. I just wanted to give you a scare. Number 5 and Number 5.2 said it was a staple of Earthly courting.”

Lance fought the urge to take out his communicator and send Pidge and Matt an angry message. What’s with the siblings trying to embarrass him?? Was it because he was asking out Allura? Because he was asking out Lotor? Lance knew the siblings were close to the Prince. After they picked up Matt, they’d basically adopted Lotor as their unofficial third sibling. Maybe that was it? Obligatory ‘ _ embarrass-the-sibling-and-or-the-person-the-sibling-was-going-out-with _ ’ kind of thing?

Thankfully Lance didn’t have long to linger on potential reasons. Both him and Coran perked up when a hand came up to tap the older Altean on the shoulder. He glanced back and smiled with unbridled affection. He then faced Lance again and gave him a small nod. 

“I’ll be seeing you, Lance! Have fun!”

Coran sidestepped, finally revealing Allura standing behind him. When Lance saw her it was as if time slowed to a crawl. She was, to put it simply, beautiful. Allura had her hair pinned up in its usual half up style, a golden flower clip keeping it in place. Her dress was more simplistic than her usual royal garb. This one was predominantly blue with a shorter skirt that reached her calves, the gradient of the dress darkening near the end. Wrapped over her dress was a white coat, the long sleeves at the end billowing out in flowey waves. 

“Lance, you look nice!” Allura’s sweet words brought Lance back from his dazed staring.

He blinked, not entirely sure he managed to hide how stunned he’d been as he whispered, “You look amazing.” Lance cleared his throat, blushing at how breathy he had sounded. Then like the proper gentleman his mom raised him to be, Lance extended his arm for Allura to take. “Let’s go get Lotor!”

Allura chuckled, taking his arm with a fond shake of her head. Though when they reached the car door she did wave him off when he tried to open it for her. Together the two of them climbed into the car and buckled up.

For the first hour of driving Allura and Lance spoke about simple things. Lance told stories about his childhood on Earth and Allura spoke of hers on Altea. Eventually they reminisced on their journey so far, laughing at things they viewed in hindsight. 

It took them both by surprise how much has happened since their first meeting. Lance looked back on his first time flying Blue and was shocked at how far he’d come, how far they’d all come. They’ve grown as a team and as a family. For Lance he never thought something this amazing could happen to a guy like him. He had only planned to become a Garrison pilot, there’d been nothing after that for him. And now… Now Lance didn’t see that as his future. He saw himself as a Voltron Paladin. 

A while ago he had the fear that when the war was over, Voltron would no longer be needed and he’d have to say goodbye to Red. But as he lingering on it he realised that was a foolish thought. The universe was  _ always _ going to need Voltron. There might not be another giant villain like Zarkon, but there would still be planets in need of aid. Voltron would always be necessary. And even after Lance passed on the mantle of Red Paladin, he’d always be a part of Voltron. No amount of years would erase his time with the Lions.

Eventually the conversation died out and the two merely enjoyed the car ride in comfortable silence. It was only broken when they reached Tex’s house, pulling up with a loud crunching of gravel. Tex and Antok were outside, the two whittling away at pieces of wood like total old men.

Tex glanced up at them before tilting his head back and yelling something towards the screen door. And then after a moment it was opening and Lotor was stepping out. He looked up, casting a beaming smile at the two in the car.

“Wow…” Allura unconsciously whispered, breath coming out like a sigh.

“Yeah… Wow.” Lance mimicked, not doing much better.

Lotor had his hair done up in a loose brain that was quite similar to how Keith did his own hair. The outfit Lotor wore was one of the pieces the castle ship had fabricated all those phoebs ago. It was a sleeveless tunic with a high collar, thin gold chains looping around the various buttons decorating it. For his pants, Lotor wore what resembled a half-skirt, a pair of leggings beneath it that were covered up by kneehigh boots. 

The entire outfit looked to be a combination of both Altean style of dress and Galra. It seemed like when designing his clothes for the fabricator to make, Ezor had done her best to incorporate both Altean and Galra themes in them. She’d most likely gotten tips from Keith or merely went through the premade outfits in the ship’s systems. Either way the results were completely worth it.

“Good morning, you two. Slept well?”

Both Paladins jolted at the sound of Lotor’s voice being followed by the slam of the car door. Lance sputtered, quickly twisting in his seat so he could smile wide at Lotor.

“Yep! Slept like a baby!”

“Indeed,” Allura offered a more tame response, lightly coughing into her fist. “I too slept quite comfortably. How about you, Lotor? Did you sleep well?”

Lotor gave a nod, leaning back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other. “As well as can be. Thace and Zethrid got into a good old fashioned Galra brawl which they had to take outside before they broke anything. This led to all of us joining in. Well except Ulaz and Narti. The two sat on the sidelines and watched with Tex.”

“Oh? Who won the spars?” Lance asked as he waved goodbye to Tex and Antok. He then backed the car up and took them back on the road. While Lotor spoke Lance worked on typing the zoo’s address into the GPS.

“To be quite honest I’m not sure. We had just been going two on two, then Ezor jumped in and from there it was utter pandemonium. It was equal parts fun and exhausting.” 

The ride back to the city was the same as it was driving out into the desert. It was pleasant and not once did there seem to be a dull moment. Even when conversation grew stagnant and no longer flowed between them, the trio were still comfortable. 

When they pulled up to the zoo there were already plenty of cars populating the parking lot. Thankfully there were still enough open spaces that Lance wasn’t struggling to park. He’d already given the two Royals a rundown on what a zoo was like. Apparently Alteans didn’t have anything like them and current Galra didn’t have a planet to call home, so they also had no zoos. 

They drew stares the moment they began standing in line to purchase tickets. However while Lance did notice, the stares didn’t really register. Maybe before he would’ve relished in having so many eyes on him. But as it currently stood he just hoped no one came up to talk to them. This was meant to be a date, no unwanted fourth parties please!

“Ok!” Lance said once they were past the gate. He had gotten a map from the little elephant shaped stand offering them, unfurling the whole thing and looking at it. Both Allura and Lotor stood on either side of him, the two also looking down at the map. Though they couldn’t read the language on it, they could see the pictures and the paths that led to them. 

“We could start here. It’ll cover the entire right side of the zoo. Then when we reach the lemurs we can take this path and go through the center. After that will just be the left side. Although we could take the right first instead?” Lance squinted, eyes darting over the map and towards the little animal pictures printed for each enclosure.

“Oh! Lions!” Allura’s hand shot out and she eagerly pointed at the cute lion printed on the map. “It’s golden! Are Earth lions that colour?”

“Uuh kind of? They can be that colour or some shades of brown? I’ve even seen an albino lion before! I’ll show you some pictures later.” However with Allura pointing out the lion enclosure, Lance figured that’d be a good place to head to first. It was technically near the center of the zoo but… Well when have things ever gone according to plan? It’ll be fine! He had a map!

They went through the zoo with Lance at the lead. He would read the little blurbs in front of the enclosure and tell both Royals tidbits on the animals he knew. When they got to the big cat section of the zoo, both Lotor and Allura were quite intrigued.

“On Altea, the only big feline we had were the lions. So seeing how Earth has multiple classifications of larger felines is interesting!” She leaned against the railing, eyes trailing over the sleeping lions. She was eager to note similarities and differences compared to Altean lions. From what she could see the basics were the same. However these lions only had one tongue! Fascinating.

As Lance stood with Allura speaking about Earth lions in comparison to Altean lions, Lotor hung back and was merely content to watch the two. He smiled at how enthusiastic they were in their discussion. Lance began waving his hands animatedly as he grew in excitement, Allura bouncing every time they found a common occurrence between species. It was… Hm. Lotor didn’t think he had a name for what he was feeling. But that wasn’t entirely a problem. Whatever it was, he liked it. And at the moment that was good enough for him.

The three of them went around the zoo enjoying the sights. When they grew hungry Lance made sure they got food that would mesh with their pallets. Afterwards he introduced them to the wonders of cotton candy. They were skeptical over the fluffy pink clouds at first, however after their initial bites they were entirely hooked.

As it stood the whole thing was going extremely well. Lance was having so much fun he’d forgotten how nervous he’d been the days prior. But of course things could never go his way. Even when it seemed like everything was going right, something always had to put a wrench in his plans.

Just as they were about to head to the polar bear exhibit, there was the loud beeping of a communicator going off. Lance reached into his pocket and pulled out the device, turning it on and holding it out so the other two could see the screen. 

“ _ Lance, Allura, Lotor. _ ” Keith said in lieu of greeting, expression pinched. “ _ Sorry to interrupt your date,I really wanted to wait, but time is not on our side currently. _ ”

The embarrassment at it being called a date was far outweighed by the trio’s sudden concern. Allura frowned, “Yorak? What’s the matter?”

“ _ I just received a vision that I need Voltron for. I’ll explain more after that. For now I need to call the others and relay the message. Let me know when you’re all together so I can open a wormhole. _ ”

Lance felt his heart stop and his frown deepen. The disappointment that wormed itself into his chest was bitter on the tongue. He felt ashamed for even feeling such a thing. Who cares if the date was interrupted? There were more important things at stake. Like whatever this mission from Keith was.

“We’ll be there.” Lance said, voice barely above a whisper.

Whatever expression Lance was making had Keith pulling a face. He looked genuinely apologetic, “ _ I really am sorry. _ ”

It was Keith who hung up after that, leaving the three in silence. When Lance continued standing there, unmoving as he stared at his communicator, Allura and Lotor shot a concerned look towards each other over his head. 

Allura reached out and tentatively placed a hand to Lance’s arm. “Lance?”

He inhaled deeply before plastering on a smile and stuffing his communicator away. “It’s fine! We should get going, huh? Shame we couldn’t see the rest of the zoo! But there’s always next time!”

“Lance,” This time it was Lotor reaching out and taking Lance’s arm. The two effectively prevented the human from budging an inch. Not that he put up much of an effort in the first place.

Allura and Lotor both guided Lance to a more secluded area of the zoo so they weren’t directly in the path of other zoo goers. Around them the chatter of people and the loud wails of peacocks were the only sounds heard for several long ticks. Then when it was apparent Lance wasn’t going to speak, Lotor began prompting him with a gentle voice.

“Lance, what seems to be the matter? We cannot help if you won’t tell us…”

Lance chewed on his lip, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets and looking down at the dusty ground. He scuffed his shoes, stalling for as long as he could to avoid speaking his thoughts. But when it was apparent neither would speak till he did, the Red Paladin finally relented.

With a heavy sigh Lance slumped his shoulders in defeat. “It’s just… I had stuff planned for us to do  _ after _ the zoo! I’m kind of disappointed we won’t get to it, but I’m not upset Voltron is being called! Voltron is important! There’s times we’ll need to put aside our personal stuff for the sake of the mission, I get that. I just… I wanted this day to be perfect…”

“Oh Lance…” Allura’s brows furrowed and she reached out to take Lance’s hand, prompting him to look up at her. “I enjoyed spending today with you and Lotor. Even if whatever’s waiting for Voltron might not be so pleasant, I had a wonderful time with you two.”

“I have to agree. It has been quite the enjoyable morning. In the middle of such a war, moments like these are just as important. It’s through them we make more pleasant memories than bad ones.” Lotor agreed with an assuring smile. However at the sight of Lance just shrugging mulishly, the two slowly began to frown. “Lance…? Why is it you wished for today to be so ‘perfect’?”

“It’s because-- Well-- I just--!” He closed his eyes, inhaling deep. Like a bandaid. Just rip it off. Without letting his nerves get the better of him, Lance said in a rushed jumble of words, “I really like you two and I wanted to use today to ask you both out! I asked Keith and he said Alteans and Galra were ok with liking multiple people so I didn’t feel weird liking the both of you! A-and I was going to take you both out to dinner on the beach later today and then ask you out there but then Keith called and now we gotta go so the whole rest of my plan is kind of falling apart!”

Allura and Lotor were both stunned, each trying to make sense of the word vomit Lance had just thrown at them. Lotor parsed through Lance’s words and managed to get the main gist of it. He spoke, keeping his voice low and calm like he was speaking to a small animal. “You wish… To court Allura and I?”

“Ah… Yeah. I know that I’m just a human and a commoner at that, but I’m happy to spend any time with you both. A-and if you don’t feel the same way and just want to be friends, I’m fine with that too!” Lance chanced a glance up to look at the two of them, chewing harshly on his bottom lip. “I… I just really like you both. And I wanted you to know that.”

With his piece said, Lance effectively clammed up. Now the ball was in their court. Either he’d be rejected or his affections would be returned. And while Lance wanted to believe in Keith’s opinion that things would turn out well, he couldn’t convince his mind of that. His stomach was in knots and his chest felt like it was being squeezed relentlessly. He could barely breathe through his anxiety and his palms were sweating grossly. It felt like Lance was 12 again and confessing to his first crush. Only now it was a hundred times worse because he was confessing to two people that he  _ genuinely _ liked and wanted to date.

Allura licked her lips, folding her hands in front of her and keeping her voice even. “I will admit that I am… Quite fond of the both of you. I’ve come to learn that any time I spend with either of you easily turns enjoyable. But Lance… You do understand that for us, courting usually comes with the intention of marriage.”

That got Lance to blush and now he was shifting out of embarrassment more than nerves. “I-I know! Dating--er courting-- is usually like that for Earth to. We court with marriage in mind. And I know that even if we ever did get to that point you’d both outlive me, but--”

“We wouldn’t outlive you.”

Lance’s head snapped up and he eyed the two in confusion. He frowned, brows furrowing. “Huh?”

“Lotor’s right,” Allura said with a small smile. The Princess reached up, fingertips brushing the crescent markings beneath her eyes. “For Alteans, we’ve evolved a method for interspecies marriages. When we find those we wish to marry, if they are not Altean, then we can bestow upon them Altean markings of their own. This does not make them Altean, but what it does is alters the structure of their cells so that their lifeforce is extended to be as long as an Altean’s. Our elders believed it was because one of the first Alteans loved a different species. And when he died, she wept for deca-phoebs, praying to the stars such a thing would never befall her descendants.”

“So… If we married… I wouldn’t die before you?” Lance asked hesitantly. Allura shook her head and Lance felt a weight lift from his chest. Though that meant he would probably outlive his family, that was something he could come back to if he  _ actually _ entered a relationship with them. Which Lance should really get an answer for.

“Does this mean you don’t mind us dating?” Lance cast a hopeful look between Allura and Lotor, counting the smiles directed his way as a positive thing.

“I certainly wouldn’t mind it.” Allura said with a diplomatic nod, turning her smile to Lotor. “As I said I am very fond of you both.”

Lotor hummed, raising his hand to cup his chin and give a thoughtful tilt of his head. “It is a valuable offer. To be able to court two charming individuals? I would count myself quite the lucky Prince.”

Both Allura and Lance snorted at that, the two unable to help the blushes that spread out across their cheeks. Their blushes only darkened when Lotor reached out and took one of their hands, bringing each up to place a kiss to the back of them. 

“Holy crow.” Lance squeaked out, trying to hide his blush with his other hand.

Lotor laughed warmly, letting their hands drop after another fleeting kiss. “Plus, our union would be a union of three planets. It shows a united front to the galaxy long after this war is over.”

“That is true. It would mark the start of a new age. Of new beginnings.”

With his excitement bubbling over Lance could no longer hold back his enthusiastic laugh. He abruptly pulled the two into a tight hug, catching them by surprise. The sheer relief he felt was staggering, nearly drowning him in how nice it felt. He then leaned back, quickly taking his communicator out.

“We have to take a photo! Document the day!!”

Allura snorted but dutifully came closer to be in the picture. “Alright. But afterwards we really have to head straight to the car. We’ve already dallied enough and we still have to figure out a way to get the car back to Tex before going to Yorak.”

“Got it! No problem!” And with that Lance snapped a picture, immortalizing the day he, Allura, and Lotor started dating.


	5. Oriande

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally they return to reunite with their missing friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The first part of this chapter was... Really difficult for me. I just couldn't sit down to write. I got so frustrated that I cut and changed a lot. The original plan I had got tossed out the window! Rip. But oh well. I'll continue to prevail! I can say that the ending of this chapter I'm happy with. Warm and fuzzy uwu calm before the storm ♥ Thank y'all for reading and for any comments you leave! I appreciate them all~ See you next time

“ _I don’t know when the attack is supposed to happen, but I’d rather you guys get there before any significant damage can be done_.”

“Understood. We’re enroute to planet Xytol-Cli. At this pace we should get there within the varga.”

“ _Got it. Sorry I couldn’t place you guys closer. I didn’t want to risk you showing up in the middle of a battlefield._ ”

“It’s no issue, Keith. We appreciate the heads up you’ve given us.” Shiro said, lips quirking into an assuring smile. “Call us if something comes up.”

Keith returned the smile, expression softening for a moment before he nodded. “ _I will. Good luck guys._ ”

The call disconnected and the team was left to fly in silence towards their destination. Keith had summoned Voltron on account of a vision he had. Apparently the Guardian was strong enough to start sharing those again. So the first one it showed was of a planet under Galra attack. With the Guardian’s help Keith managed to locate just where the vision took place. 

So Voltron wasted no time in suiting up and heading out. They had no way of knowing if the premonition was currently happening or would be happening soon. Either way it was as Keith said. Better safe than sorry.

“Why would the Galra be attacking Xytol-Cli? It’s a planet with no atmosphere and only one living species on it. Doesn’t seem that valuable in terms of galactic control.” Pidge commented from Green, eyes scanning over the planet’s readings she pulled up from Green’s database. “If anything it’s more work on their part. The Xytolians are a nomadic type. They’ll just move to another dead planet.”

Allura frowned thoughtfully, her face appearing on Pidge’s screen. “ _That is true. But I believe it’s the planet the Galra are after. We’ve already demolished many of their bases thanks to Lotor’s help. Perhaps they are attempting to build another one? Or maybe it has to do with the mineral composition? Pidge, can you trace anything on the planet that might hold value to the Galra?_ ” 

Pidge shook her head, “Not from this distance. We’re too far out from the planet to get a proper read. Though… Maybe if I hook up to Blue’s scanners and you use the sonic radar? That could amplify the range.”

“ _We can make speculations later,_ ” Shiro said, his own face appearing on both their screens. “ _We don’t know when the Galra will attack. It’s better for us to get there fast and prepare for the battle ahead._ ”

With that said the group focused back on flying as fast as they could to the planet. However just as they were in range, pings on their scanners indicated approaching battle ships. From the looks of things they only just showed up.

“ _Looks like we arrived just in time!_ ” Hunk called over the coms.

There were a total of three Galra Battle Cruisers hovering above the planet, their ominous purple lights a beacon in the void. The moment Voltron appeared, their attention quickly switched to the five Lions. Instantly their hangers opened and a stream of Fighters came pouring out like a swarm.

“ _Pidge, Allura, you two focus on the Fighters! Lance, Hunk, you’re with me! We’re going to take care of the Cruisers!_ ”

“ _Got it!_ ”

“ _You can count on us!_ ”

At Shiro’s orders the five Lions shot off towards their targets. With Green and Blue’s elemental powers, they were able to take out large swaths of Fighters without breaking a sweat. This left the remainder of Voltron plenty of wiggle room in taking down the Cruisers.

“ _Hunk! I want those cannons offline pronto!_ ”

“ _I’m on it!_ ” 

As Yellow activated her bulked armor, she charged forward and rammed straight into one of the cannons on the Cruiser. Black and Red split off to handle the other two. They made use of their jaw blade and claws, shredding through the metal of the ship with vicious precision. 

With Voltron weaving between the Cruisers and passing off attacks, they were beginning to make quick work of their foes. At this rate they might be able to take out the Cruisers without needing to form Voltron! However, it seemed like the universe would prove them wrong. 

Suddenly Pidge’s voice crackled over the coms, “ _Uh-oh we’ve got incoming!_ ”

Around them Battle Cruisers began appearing one by one. What had just been a three Cruiser battle had quickly turned into a seven Cruiser one. 

“ _Holy crow! Look out!_ ” Lance yelled just as the new Cruisers released their Fighters.

It was like a tidal wave had washed over the battle. Fighters littered the void, nearly blotting out the shine of stars. It was outrageous how many of them there were. When one was destroyed, another took its place.

“ _This is nuts! We need Voltron!_ ” Pidge yelled as she threw Green into a nosedive.

“ _Pidge is right! Team, line up! We’re going to try and form Voltron!_ ” Shiro’s yell brought order to their scramble.

They flew close, a synchronized lull settling over their minds. A familiar tingle that signified the formation of Voltron. Yet just as their Lion’s began to glow, a cannon fired. It slammed into Black’s back with accurate precision and knocked the head Lion from her perch at the front. 

“ _Shiro!_ ” 

The Lions scattered for a moment before coalescing in front of their leader. While Shiro regained his bearings, the team focused on protecting him from attacks. In Black’s cockpit Shiro shook his head. His ears were ringing and he could feel the pulse of energy running through Black’s systems. She hadn’t been prepared for a direct attack like that. The power put into the blast must’ve been enormous. 

Shiro glanced up and peered through the sea of fighters. The Cruiser that had fired at him was indeed different compared to the others. The cannon on its back was larger and considerably more bulky than the others. Not only that, but it seemed to draw on its own energy for each blast. Currently the ship's lights were dim, the purple colour rippling like it was flowing towards the cannon and away from the rest of the ship.

With a groan Shiro grabbed his controls, hearing the yells of his team through the headset.

“ _We need backup!_ ”

“ _They won’t get to us in time!_ ”

“ _How are we going to form Voltron if we can’t make room?! They’ll shoot us out of the air again!_ ”

They were right. Shiro reached out, pressing a button on his consol. It connected almost immediately, Keith’s face appearing on screen. “Keith! We need help! The Cruisers have us pinned and we’re unable to form Voltron!”

Keith’s expression hardened and his head snapped up, “ _Coran! Tell Team A to get to their ships! We’re sending them out!_ ”

Shiro’s eyes momentarily widened in surprise. Coran? What was he doing on Oriande? He’d been on Earth still when they left… He pushed aside that confusion. Not the time to ask! 

“ _Backup is on its way. I’m sending them right to you._ ”

“Got it. Thanks Keith!” Shiro gripped Black’s controls and shot her forward. The call disconnected just as Shiro began firing upon the Cruisers. “Team, good news! Keith’s sending help!”

“ _Oh thank God!_ ”

“ _Is it the Avok Fighters?_ ”

“Ah, no? He called them Team A.” And if Shiro thought about it, he was on Oriande. Who else could he be sending but… Alteans.

Just as Shiro had that realization a white wormhole appeared. There was a pause where everyone seemed to hold their breath and then one by one ships came spilling from the portal. They were sleek in design and clearly Altean-made. From their white plating, blue and gold accents, to the nimble way they dived through space and twirled like dancers.

It was a team of 12, each ship near identical except for the markings printed on the sides. And suddenly a call was connecting to Voltron, an image appearing on their screens. It was of a girl with short cropped hair, a helmet squishing the orange tufts to her cheeks. The markings beneath her eyes were barely seen beneath her wryly hair, but there was no doubting the girl’s species.

“ _Hello, Voltron! I’m Arya, leader of Team A! We’re here to help!_ ”

Shiro could hear Allura’s sharp inhale over the coms. However she didn’t allow herself more of a reaction. Instead she focused on the mission at hand, only uttering a “ _thank you_ ” that was heavy with emotions. Arya smiled with excitement and nodded her head, giving a salute before disconnecting the call. 

And just like that the tides were turned.

The ships that weren’t destroyed promptly fled the moment it was clear they were losing. And after a cursory check on the planet to make sure the inhabitants were safe, they could finally call the mission a success. They contacted Keith to tell him of this, the Altean informing them he’d have a wormhole at the ready.

However it wasn’t just Voltron that went through it. Team A also followed after. It became clear why that was when they emerged on the other side of the wormhole. The team was greeted by the purpling skies of Oriande, the temple spotted in the distance.

But even from how far they were, they could see things had changed. The forest in front of the temple had plenty of trees cleared away to make a clearing. And occupying the empty spot where basic houses, little clusters of people moving between their structures. It looked to be the makings of a small town. Houses were still clearly being built, but that did little to detract from the overall image.

“ _Welcome Princess Allura! Everyone’s been so excited to meet you!_ ” Arya chirped over the coms, “ _Yorak’s at the temple! We’ll see you there!_ ”

And with that Voltron watched as the ships of Team A flew towards one of Oriande’s larger pillars. A hatch opened up as they drew near and the ships disappeared inside in an orderly fashion. Voltron floated there for a moment longer before, with Allura in the lead, they headed for the temple.

Keith was already reaching the temple’s bottom steps by the time Voltron began exiting their ship. Beside him was Coran and Romelle, the former grinning cheekily at the group.

“Glad you could join us!”

“Hey, we were busy!” Lance pouted, placing a hand on his hip. “And how’d you even get here in the first place?

Coran jabbed a thumb in Keith’s direction. The white-haired Altean shrugged his shoulders. “I sent my Lion to get him. I already intended to bring you guys back here after your mission, so I figured I might as well kill two birds with one stone. So I had Coran come here to see the colony and what we’ve been working on. You’ve already met Arya and her team. The Blades have been helping train some Alteans in combat. Both in air and on the ground.”

Allura seemed surprised at this. She assumed they would’ve kept up with combat over the deca-phoebs they’ve been in issolation. Then again… Perhaps they found no reason to? They had been safe for so long, after all. But that begs the question then. “Why would they want to fight? Could they not remain here where it is safe?”

Keith leveled her with a look, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. “They wish to fight because their future Queen is fighting. Your war is their war. They fight for you, Allura.”

///

“You’re not going with them?”

Shiro looked up from where he’d been petting the blue space wolf. He gave him one more pat before turning a small smile up towards Keith. “Nah. I figured if I waited around long enough you’d maybe come and give me a tour.”

Keith quirked a brow, uncrossing his arms over his chest. He rolled his eyes and strolled over. With a firm pat to the wolf’s back, he nudged him to the side. “Go follow the others. I bet Pidge missed you.”

The wolf’s ears perked and his jaws parted in a lupine smile. With a flash he disappeared, a distant yelp indicating he had found his target. Shiro laughed and stood from his kneel. He dusted off his knee and shook his head at Keith.

“That was mean. Pretty sure Pidge didn’t mention anything about missing your wolf.” 

“Well he missed Pidge, so it works out.”

Shiro snorted, “I’m guessing you still haven’t named him yet?”

“He’ll tell me when he’s ready.”

That tugged a more solid laugh from Shiro. He could only smile apologetically when Keith glared at him. Thankfully it was without much heat and soon Keith was also chuckling away with Shiro. He stepped next to the human and bumped their shoulders playfully before setting off.

“Well come on then. Didn’t you say you wanted a tour?”

As the two of them walked into the make-shift town, Keith gave brief descriptions on buildings. However they ended up being stopped by Alteans more often than not. It gradually became less of a tour and more of Keith introducing Shiro to anyone they came across. Keith told him he didn’t _have_ to greet every single Altean, but Shiro merely smiled and strived to do just that. If Keith didn’t know Shiro he would’ve said it was just him being polite. 

But he did know Shiro. 

And he knew this was absolutely out of spite.

“So petty.” Keith murmured sometime during Shiro’s hundredth introduction.

Shiro merely hummed and pretended he couldn’t hear Keith. Eventually the two of them reached the edge of where the town was being built. They were no longer cutting down trees to expand the clearing. Keith explained that the current settlement was just a temporary one. After the war the intention was to move everyone to the castle ship and more or less live there. Or at least till they could find a planet to settle on and call home.

“Allura talked about moving the Castle of Lions back to Arus after the war.” Shiro said, watching Keith climb over a tree root.

Because the two had ended up cutting straight through the settlement, they eventually came to the edge of the tree line. And instead of turning around, Keith merely continued walking. Shiro, trusting Keith, promptly followed. And so the two of them continued on their walk, chatting softly as they traversed through the forest around them.

“That’d be a good choice. The ship did rest there for 10,000 deca-phoebs. Maybe after everything settles, we can build a greenhouse to regrow Altean fauna. I don’t know how well it’d integrate to Arus’ terrain and I don’t want to accidentally create an invasive species.” Keith paused to pat a tree’s trunk. It gave a weighty thump that somehow seemed to vibrate like a drum. “Our collection of Altean plants and wildlife are limited. The ones at the colony are domesticated ones while the creatures here on Oriande are… Different. They’re like the kinds that were on Altea but… Not entirely. They didn’t evolve the same way.”

Shiro nodded, glancing up towards the sky. He could see bird-like creatures flying above them. They were a frequent sight whenever they had flown over Oriande. And though Shiro’s made a few trips to Oriande, none of those times allowed him to explore much of the hidden realm. Which left it all the more difficult to discern what other creatures lived there.

“Are there predators?”

“Probably. Even I don’t know what’s entirely out here.” Keith paused, glancing at Shiro over his shoulder and sending him a smirk. “But don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.”

Shiro placed a hand to his chest and pretended to swoon against a tree. “My hero.”

The two of them barely held back their snorts of laughter. Shiro watched Keith’s face scrunch up from merriment. His cheeks were flushed a faint blue as were the tips of his ears, the colour stark against his skin. He still looked paler than usual, the dark smudges beneath his eyes not entirely gone.

Unconsciously Shiro reached out and found himself cupping Keith’s cheek. The Altean startled, his laughter tapering off. With a confused smile Keith leaned into Shiro’s touch. 

“What’s up?”

“You still look pretty exhausted.” Shiro murmured, his thumb coming up to rub gently against the skin beneath Keith’s eye. 

Keith’s eyes fluttered closed and he pressed his cheek further into Shiro’s hand. He enjoyed the warmth of his palm. It’s been quite a while since he’s last had physical contact with Shiro. And it was at this moment, now that he had it, that Keith realised he’d been craving it. 

“Yeah… There’s still plenty to do. Training, wormholing, keeping Oriande together… It’s a lot.” Keith admitted with a shaky exhale.

After a moment of contemplation Shiro let his hand drop from Keith’s cheek. The Altean opened his eyes, looking miffed at the sudden loss. However before he could voice his protest, Shiro was taking his hand and tugging him towards a bent tree. There he sat down with his back to the trunk and insistently tugged on Keith’s hand.

“Come on, I’ll lend you my lap to nap on.”

Keith blinked, snorting. However he didn’t offer any protest and instead dropped down beside Shiro. He scooted close enough that their sides were pressed together. There he let his head lull to the side and fall on Shiro’s shoulder. “Thanks for the offer, but I feel like if I use your lap, I won’t ever want to get up.”

Shiro had the utter gall to look confused. He tilted his head to the side, thick brows furrowing. “What do you mean?”

It took great restraint on Keith’s part to not sigh. Seriously Shiro? All these years and he was still the same. Keith pinched the bridge of his nose and wondered if this was what Adam went through. Clearly Shiro wasn’t _that_ oblivious, right? 

“Nothing. I’m going to sleep. Wake me up if something tries to eat us. Or not. Maybe I could use the sweet escape of death to get a full night’s rest.”

“Sounds tempting. I might join you.” Shiro said with a chuckle. Seeing Keith’s hand resting there between them, Shiro felt bold enough to place his hand over it. He felt himself blush when Keith smoothly tangled their fingers together without so much as a pause. 

Shiro ducked his head, hiding his face against Keith’s hair. Honestly he felt like he was facing his first crush all over again. Which wasn’t saying much since Shiro’s first crush was when he was six and still sucked on his thumb. So not a lot of room for confidence. Thankfully Keith seemed to have enough of a grasp on things to lead Shiro in their little two-step dance.

Little did Shiro know that Keith was also going through a similar panic. In hindsight it would be amusing how in sync they were. Even with something like this. The two had been friends for years, they knew each other. However that didn’t make it any easier. They had to take the plunge and breach past the realm of friendship. To break through what prior boundaries they established and form new ones. Though they have had experience in relationships before, this time it was between the two of them. And for that it felt like an entirely new piece of territory.

“Hey… Keith?” Shiro whispered softly. If Keith had fallen asleep he didn’t want to risk waking him.

“Hm?” 

Ah, so he was still awake. Shiro took a deep breath for courage. He stared down at their joined hands and squeezed, feeling a returning pressure. That helped boost Shiro’s confidence in what he wanted to ask next. 

“Can we talk? About… Us?” When they last parted Keith had said they’d speak later. And Shiro really had no clue when that was supposed to be. Now seemed as good a time as any. After all, who knows what’s going to happen from here on out? They still have to fight Zarkon. And what if Shiro dies during the battle? What if Keith dies? The Guardian might be able to bring Keith back, but not Shiro. He’d die and leave Keith wondering what it was Shiro truly felt about him. Wondering if it was a fleeting moment of affection or something more. 

Shiro couldn’t let that be the case. 

Just the thought alone was enough to have his heart clench in panic. Leaving Keith behind with questions he could’ve easily dispeedl? Shiro would never let that happen. Over the time they’ve been apart he’s been able to come to terms with what it is he feels. He knows what kind of emotions he holds in his heart. Now he only had to let them out.

“Keith… I like you.”

Keith’s head shot up and he locked eyes with Shiro. The confession was a little anticlimactic if Shiro really thought about it. Maybe he should’ve waited? Planned a date or something? But he honestly couldn’t keep it to himself. Not when the fear for the future had its claws in him. Shiro didn’t know what would come, but at least with this he’d have no regrets.

Shiro turned his body towards Keith, raising their joined hands and cradling it close to his chest. “And I mean not just as a friend. I-I don’t really know when it changed. I just know that… Well I can’t be without you. Even if our time together is fleeting in Altean years, I don’t care. I want to spend my life with you.”

Keith blinked for a moment before his eyes narrowed, “First you then Lance. Why do humans think we don’t feel the years like you do? Living more than 600 years isn’t easy, you know.”

To say Shiro was confused would be an understatement. Here he was confessing and Keith brings up Lance? What did Lance have to do with the dramatic moment they were meant to be happening? This was where Keith was supposed to _hopefully_ return his feelings and then they’d hug it out and maybe kiss if Shiro was so lucky.

Just as he opened his mouth to voice his discontent, he promptly choked on his own tongue when Keith swung his leg over Shiro’s and plopped himself in the other’s lap. Shiro stared at him, mouth hanging open and words dying on the tip of his tongue. Keith seemed unperturbed and took Shiro by the face, leveling him with a fierce glare.

“Listen up, Shiro. I don’t care if you don’t think you’ll live long or whatever. I may be able to see glimpses of the future, but the future's not where I’m at. Right now I’m here with you. So stop looking forward and focus on the now.” Keith’s expression only eased when Shiro hesitantly nodded. Then, smiling, he leaned in till their noses brushed, “Good. By the way, I like you too.”

Shiro’s brain instantly short-circuited the moment Keith pulled his face closer and slotted their lips together. He sat there like a dead fish for a few seconds till his mind finally rebooted. Then he was scrambling to wrap his arms around Keith in some semblance of an embrace and return the kiss with as much enthusiasm. He could feel Keith’s lips curl into a smile, a breathy chuckle slipping past.

The two parted, staring at each other with amusement dancing in their eyes. And then they were leaning forward to connect their lips once more. Then another. And one more after that.

Keith’s lips tingled pleasantly from the fluttering press of Shiro’s lips. They weren’t heated kisses. Merely gentle pecks meant to get across their feelings. And for now that was fine. More than fine really. Keith enjoyed all Shiro had to give him. These small kisses were more precious to Keith than any treasure he could ever come across. Each brush of their lips had his heart squeezing with warmth. He was reluctant to put an end to the moment.

However it seemed that, because Shiro no longer had to worry about confessing, he could now focus back on taking care of Keith. He pulled away, a hand keeping Keith from chasing after his lips. Shiro smiled, quickly giving Keith’s cheek and apologetic peck before hugging him close.

“Alright, nap time.”

“What? Seriously?” Keith pouted, cheek dropping to Shiro’s shoulder.

“Mmhmm. Confessing really takes it out of me.”

“That’s what exhausts you? Not you _just_ coming back from a space battle?”

Shiro shushed him, placing a kiss to the side of Keith’s head. “Yes, confessing. Emotional exhaustion packs a bigger punch than physical.”

“I don’t think that’s backed by science.”

“Humans are just built differently.”

Keith barked a laugh, “Sure, I’ll take your word for it.” 

“Good,” Shiro began running a large hand up and down Keith’s back soothingly. He felt the tension slowly bleed from Keith till he was resting his full weight against Shiro. For someone of his size, Keith clearly weighed more than he looked. Altean density, more or less. It wasn’t uncomfortable for Shiro though. Instead it was a solid, grounding weight. He felt at ease having Keith in his arms. 

Shiro pressed one more kiss to Keith’s forehead, whispering against his skin, “Sleep. I promise I’ll wake you.”

“Mmm fine. I’ll hold you to that,” Keith tucked his face into Shiro’s neck and tried to snuggle closer. “Good night, Shiro.”

“Good night, Keith.” And as the Altean gradually drifted off in Shiro’s arms, the human tilted his head back against the tree trunk and looked up towards the sky overhead. He watched pink clouds drift by, painting the sky like watercolours. And it was as he was studying a cow-shaped cloud Shiro felt his own eyes grow heavy. The warmth of Keith seeped into him and dragged Shiro from the realm of waking. In a matter of moments he joined Keith, the two sleeping there beneath the tree with no signs of waking anytime soon. And for the moment, that was just fine.


	6. Lions and Cubs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Voltron Lions help the Avok Cubs learn about themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ayyy. Meant to upload this a day or so ago but I ended up getting food poisoning so I wasn't able to do much of anything. I'm still recovering but I'm well enough to update! For this chapter I thought long and hard about the Avok Cubs and their sub abilities. Some probably make sense given who pilots them, however others might seem out of place. I apologize for this, I kind of ran out of ideas for what would make sense xD Oh well! Thank you all for your patience and continued reading~ See you next time.

“Alright, hurry and finish eating. While Coran retrieves the Castle ship, the ten of you are going out to train.”

There was a collection of groans from around the table. Keith raised a brow, frowning into his mug of Nunvill. At his side Shiro tried to look placating. He placed a hand to Keith’s shoulder and sent him a reassuring smile before turning to address the Avok Fighters and Voltron Paladins.

“Come on you guys. You knew that’s what Keith had in mind when he called Lotor’s team away from Earth.”

“Really? I just thought he wanted us to all hang out together like the old times.” Lance pouted, slumping forward in his seat. He rested his chin on the table and petulantly began fiddling with his fork. “We just got back from a mission too! Can’t we get a little rest?”

“It was an escort mission. You’re being dramatic.” Keith said without a hint of sympathy. “The Avok Cubs still need to be tested. We’re at a point in the war where any mistake could cost us. I don’t want to give Zarkon the chance to take back territory.”

“Yorak is right,” Lotor piped up from his place beside Allura. “The sooner we get a grasp on the limits of our Cubs, the sooner we can use them to fight in the war.”

There was no room for argument with how true that statement was. So with no future protests, Keith nodded and set his cup down. “Alright. So, teams. Lotor’s with Shiro, Ezor with Pidge, Lance with Zethrid, Hunk with Narti, and Acxa with Allura.” Keith reached across the table and pressed a finger to the data pad he’d set there at the start of their lunch. The lights around them quickly began to dim and suddenly a star map was being projected above the table.

“I’m sending you all to separate areas to avoid distractions. Communications will also be limited to your partner and to me. You’ll be training on uninhabited planets, so feel free to smash and break as much as you want. For Red and Blue, there are areas of the terrain that they’ll excel in. I would’ve included one for Green, however I’m trying to avoid inhabited planets. And vegetation means life. So if you really need a few roots you’d better grow your own.” Keith said, pressing a few other buttons. Five select planets illuminated in a bright white, the other celestials dimming in response. “I’m not sure if the Cubs will have elemental powers. And if they do, I have no clue how to activate them. So good luck with that.”

He closed the star map and stood from his chair, “I’ve already sent your training locations to your Lions. They’re relatively close so you won’t need a wormhole for them. Head out when done.” Keith then nodded to Coran, the Altean dabbing his mouth with a napkin before he too stood and followed Keith from the room.

An abrupt departure without so much as a farewell. Classic Keith.

“Well I’m done eating.” Pidge scooted her chair back and sent Ezor a lopsided smile. “Wanna head out?”

“Uh do you even need to ask? This is basically free time to just play with my own kitty!!” She popped up from her chair, leaning over to plant a kiss to Zethrid’s cheek, and then proceeded to skip over to Pidge’s side.

The two bid their goodbyes before heading off. Not long after them was Shiro and Lotor, then Narti and Hunk. One by one they all finished their food and left with their group. They suited up, grabbed their ships, and set off with little fanfare.

It took an hour or so for most of them to reach their destinations. But like Keith said they were uninhabited planets. After a quick cursory fly around, they picked a spot and began to train. For Zethrid and Lance, they’d been trying much of the same thing for about an hour. Lance would explain how he used to activate Blue’s abilities, then how he activated Red’s. And from there Zethrid would try to recreate the “sensation” he talked about.

“Usually we’d use our bayards and put them in their port. That’d activate their hidden abilities. Like Blue’s sonic sensor!” Lance explained as he showed off Red’s fire spitting. “When I do that in Voltron, it turns our sword into a fire one! Though outside of Voltron it just makes Red’s fire breath become lava breath.”

Zethrid grunted, her diminutive Lion standing beside Lance’s and opening its jaws. It arched forward, almost like it was trying to force itself to spit up  _ something _ . However like the many times prior, this too ended in failure.

The tall Galra let out an angry growl and slapped a hand on her controls. “This isn’t working! We should just throw ourselves into battle! That’s a much better way to learn! On your feet!”

“Ok that’s probably true, but Keith would pitch a fit if we didn’t listen to him.”

“He isn’t our leader. We don’t have to follow his orders.” Zethrid snorted derisively. 

Lance winced slightly, not refuting that statement. Keith really  _ wasn’t _ any of their leaders. However… “Lotor and Shiro  _ both  _ listen to him though. Shiro’s my leader and Lotor’s yours. Plus I don’t know about you, but I’d kinda wanna listen to the guy who's able to see the future.”

Zethrid could only grumble in annoyance at that. She knew Lance was speaking the truth. And really she had nothing against following Keith’s orders. She trusted his decision because she recognized him as a competent leader. But with Zethrid’s frustrations running rampant, she was loath to be cooperative. Zethrid wanted to smash into something! If not with her fists, then with her Cub!

Across their communicators was a beep indicating an incoming call. Upon answering, Keith’s face appeared on screen, Lance letting out a short laugh. “Speak of the devil!” 

Keith narrowed his eyes but chose not to comment on that. “ _ How’s the training going? Made any progress? _ ”

“This is boring!” Zethrid announced as she crossed her arms over her chest. “My Cub does not work like the Lions. It needs to be in battle to learn!” 

Keith wanted to doubt that but truthfully who could say? The Cubs were still new. They didn’t have a distinct “self” yet like the Lions did. And Keith had a feeling they were pretty impressionable. Maybe the personality of their pilot would rub off on them? And if that was the case, then that meant Zethrid’s brash methods would be shared by her Cub.

Cupping his chin, Keith let out a long hum. “ _ Well why don’t you just fight Red? That is an option too, you know. _ ”

Both Zethrid and Lance paused. Huh. Keith had a point. why didn’t they think of that? Whatever expression they made had Keith smiling. He nodded, “ _ I’ll leave you to it then. Good luck you two. Contact me if you get results. I’m going to check in with Narti and Hunk now. _ ”

After Keith hung up the two made their Lions stand, renewed vigor flooding their systems. Red stood off against the smaller Lion and crouched down, a growl rumbling through her that Lance felt deep in his bones. He grinned, flexing his hands on his controls. “Alright then! Come on and give us your best shot!”

“With pleasure!” Zethrid yelled with a feral grin.

///

Keith’s call to Hunk and Narti was picked up after only a moment of waiting. Laughter flooded in, Keith catching the tail end of the conversation. “ _ -You’re so right! Oh man! My sides hurt from laughing so hard! _ ”

Keith quirked a brow, watching Hunk wipe a tear. On the image beside Hunk’s, Narti’s reptilian mouth was pulled in a small smile, Kova curled around her shoulders and squinting in contentment. “You two having fun?” He deigned to ask despite clearly seeing the answer.

“ _ Hey Keith! Sorry, Narti and me were just talking about you and your space wolf! And she raised a pretty good point! _ ”

“Oh?” Keith ignored the fact that Hunk had apparently found a way to talk to Narti. Questions for another time.

“ _ Yeah! We thought calling him ‘wolf’ all the time was pretty silly! So we were spitballing names and stuff! I was going for Earth names and Narti was stuck on Bone Crusher. But then we talked a bit more and decided Kosmo was a pretty good name! I mean he came from the cosmos, he looks like the night sky, and he’s an alien! _ ”

From her screen Narti nodded enthusiastically. Keith looked between the two, slowly tilting his head. “You can’t just name him like that. He’ll-”

“ _ We know, we know! He’ll tell us his name when he’s ready! Buuut till then, why not call him Kosmo? _ ” Hunk flashed his sweet smile, batting his eyes pleadingly. “ _ We think it’s a good name _ .”

Keith let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Naming aside, is this all you guys have been doing? Shouldn’t you be training?”

The two had the decency to look sheepish at that. Keith let out another sigh, placing his hand on the control panel. “I’ll call back later. Please have some training done by then.” With a shake of his head Keith hung up. He moved his finger to the little icon for the Green Lion, a white line connecting it to a Cub icon with a 3 printed on its forehead. 

“Hopefully these two have made some kind kind of progress.” 

However just as Keith was about to press the image, it lit up with the signs of an incoming call. His brows furrowed and he pressed the glowing Lions, watching as both Ezor and Pidge appeared on his screen. They flashed him twin grins, Ezor practically bouncing in her seat.

“I was just about to call you two.”

Pidge’s smile turned smug and Keith had a feeling if she wasn’t wearing her helmet, she’d probably be fiddling with her glasses. “ _ It’s a good thing we called to report in, then. _ ”

“I’m guessing you made some progress with Avok 3?”

“ _ More than progress! We’ve made a breakthrough! _ ” Pidge puffed out her chest, crossing her arms. “ _ So when we got here at first I was thinking of doing simulations. However then I remembered Ezor already had her own abilities. Like gliding and turning invisible. So I figured it was worth a shot trying to see if her Cub would recognize what she was showing it. _ ”

Ezor excitedly clapped her hands, leaning closer to the screen. “ _ Pidge was crazy smart to think of that! So I tried going invisible in my Cub and at first that didn’t do anything! But I could feel like my Cub was paying more attention after I did it the first time! And after a few more times I felt this tingling in my head! Pidge said her Lion does the same thing and then the next time I went invisible, Pidge said my Cub almost did too!!! _ ”

“ _ It wasn’t fully invisible. It was almost like it was learning from Ezor. It’s body flickered like a mirage. We wanted to call you to report to you about this. As it stands Ezor’s Cub still needs to figure this out. But the progress so far is pretty good! _ ” 

Keith found himself mirroring the two’s grins. He placed a hand to his hip and nodded approvingly. “Nice job you two. So far you’re the only ones making much progress. This just proves that the Avok Cubs  **do** have abilities. Though I’m not sure if it's a byproduct of sensing its pilot turning invisible.” 

“ _ Yeah we aren’t sure about that either. But I guess we’ll probably know if any of the other Cubs get abilities? _ ”

Ezor nodded, leaning back in her chair. “ _ If it’s the Cubs learning from the pilot, then Narti’s ability would transfer to her Cub. So unless it’s able to influence the mind of other things, I don’t think it’ll rely on the pilot that much? I think it's just my Cub learning from me! Like imprinting! _ ”

“Hmm,” Keith wondered how much influence the first pilots had on their Lions. He couldn’t exactly ask anyone since the first Voltorn pilots were either dead or were super villains. Would Coran know something? Allura? He’d have to ask them another time. “Alright. Well keep me updated on any changes. I’ll let you two get back to training. Once Avok 3 gets a grasp on its ability, try running tests to see if it works as well as Green’s cloaking. If we’re able to replicate it that could help in stealth missions.”

“ _ Will do. _ ”

“ _ Goooot it! _ ”

///

“I see… So Alteans are able to do that?”

“Of course. Otherwise political marriages would end relatively quickly. Allura mentioned in past arrangements, some species originally only lived 10 deca-phoebs, reaching maturity within the first deca-phoeb.” Lotor explained with a smile, guiding Avok 1 around a floating planetoid. “But do not feel ashamed for not knowing. Lance also had the same concerns, so you are not alone on that front.”

“Well that’s a bit of a relief.” Shiro admitted. It also made sense why Keith had brought up Lance the other day when he’d been confessing. But it truly was a weight off Shiro’s shoulders to know he wouldn’t die of old age long before Keith did. Though that didn’t say anything about dying from  _ unnatural _ causes. 

In this war Shiro could surely die. Something could go wrong. He could be blown up, shot, skewered by Zarkon. Around this time a year ago he’d been stuck in the arena. Each day was a fight to survive and Shiro was never sure if he’d make it. He suffered through so much, did things he regretted. Some things that still keep him up at night. And even though he was out of the arena the threat of death still loomed over him. This war could very well kill Shiro and he would be unable to prevent that.

He was broken from his morbid line of thinking by his Lion’s communicator flaring to life. Keith appeared on their screens after answering, his expression slightly pinched. “ _ Any progress? _ ”

“Not yet, I’m afraid.” Lotor inclined his head in a silent apology, “We’ve been running through drills for the better part of a varga. Only now have we deigned to take a break.” 

“ _ Hmm. _ ” Keith’s lips turned down into a frown and he grew a more thoughtful look. “ _ I see _ .”

“How are the others doing?” Shiro asked.

They watched as Keith crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “ _ Well so far the only one making any progress by leaps is Ezor. Pidge figured showing the Cub Ezor’s ability would maybe jumpstart something. She was correct on that hypothesis. So with that in mind I’ve been instructing the others to show the Cubs the abilities of the Voltron Lions. _ ”

Lotor hummed, “I see. So it’s like an elder teaching skills to the young. Learning by example.”

“ _ Exactly. We’re hoping this works as a method. If not we’ll figure out along the way. I just finished calling Allura and checking in with her and Acxa. They also haven’t made much progress, but they have been practicing evasive maneuvers in the tundra planet. Hopefully something comes from that. _ ”

“You’ve certainly been busy, Yorak.”

Keith merely shrugged, glancing at something off-screen. They could hear what sounded like Coran’s voice, Keith’s expression brightening into a grin. He nodded, saying a quick, “ _ I’ll be right there. _ ” Then he turned back to Lotor and Shiro with a smile. “ _ I’ve got to go. But continue training, maybe show Black’s abilities or something. I’ll have you all train for at least a varga or two more before we call it quits for today. _ ”

“No problem, we’ll keep you posted.”

With that the call dropped, leaving Shiro and Lotor in a moment of silence. Then the Black Paladin inhaled, rolling his shoulders. “Alright, looks like we’ve got something new to try.”

“Ready when you are.”

Nodding, Shiro brandished Black’s bayard. His Lion rumbled in approval, eager to once more spread her wings.

///

They continued this method of training for the better part of a week. At times they had to alternate on who would travel to Oriande for training. Allura and Lotor had to make trips to and from Earth and frequently Voltron and the Avok Fighters were sent out to fight the Galra. This made for an extremely busy week. But when training did happen, there was noticeable progress in unlocking the abilities of the Avok Cubs.

Ezor’s Cub could now flawlessly turn invisible just as well as she. It was near untraceable, not even from Pidge’s scanners. Only with Blue’s aid could they hope to pick up a signature on where Ezor was. This was a great find, especially with the idea of stealth missions. Now instead of just one Lion with cloaking, they had two.

Zethrid was the next to learn about her Lion’s ability. She and Lance had been practicing her trying to land a hit when she’d grown frustrated. Red was fast, sleek and built for speed. She was a hard target to pin down and Zethrid felt this. She could hear a deep growl rumbling over her own, mingling till it was nearly one sound. In the back of her mind she recognized this as Avok 5. Her Cub shared in her growing ire and this slowly brought the two in sync.

With a roar she slammed her weight into her controls, the Cub shooting forward. It then curled in on itself, tail tucking close to its head. It barreled down towards Red as a spinning ball and, with a crackle of energy rippling outwards, a purple translucent dome began forming around it. 

Lance’s eyes widened as he and Red both watched the oncoming projectile. In his excitement of Zethrid making a breakthrough, Lance nearly forgot to dodge. He yelped, Red diving to the side and out of range. Zethrid’s Cub ball sailed past and smashed into the ground beneath Lance. The molten earth cracked and splintered, pockets of magma bursting up from the shockwave of the impact. 

The little Cub had caused quite the impact despite its size. It was left in a crater, intricate webs of cracks spanning around it like a canvas. After a moment of laying there the shield around it disappeared and it plopped onto the ground, a light layer of dust following. Zethrid stood on wobbly legs, shaking her Cub’s head like she was trying to clear her mind.

“Woah… What the heck was that?”

“I don’t know! But it was awesome!!” Lance yelled, Red flying down to hover over Avok 5. She hooked her paws along the back of the Cub’s frame, hoisting it from the crater and into the air before letting it go to float on its own. 

Zethrid found a toothy grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. She flexed her grip on her controls, her Cub rumbling in delight. “Then let's try it again!”

With Zethrid making a breakthrough, this left Lotor, Narti, and Acxa trying to figure out how to unlock their Cub’s abilities. The next to make some kind of headway was Lotor. He and Shiro had been running a simulated battle, Black as his opponent.

It was almost comical for Avok 1 to fight against the Black Lion. She was already massive and when compared to the little Cub, Black dwarfed it. Still, both Lotor and his Cub were determined in their attacks. 

The whole time Shiro could tell Black was amused. Her purr felt like it was vibrating his seat. It was a constant buzz in the back of Shiro’s mind and he wondered if his head would go numb from the tingling sensation. It wasn’t unpleasant though. The delight seemed to bleed through their connection and Shiro himself felt like he was also playing with Avok 1. And that’s exactly what this was to the Black Lion. Playing. 

Lotor unlocking his Cub’s ability happened when Black had darted forward, aiming to bump Avok 1 and cuff its ear. This had occurred several times prior so Shiro didn’t expect it to be any different. Avok 1 turned and flew away, Black giving chase like clockwork. The two weaved around scattered asteroids, dipping low and flying high, spinning and twirling through their chase. With Avok 1 ahead of them, Shiro had no way of noticing how the Cub’s eyes flashed. However what he did notice was the way it suddenly disappeared in a flash of purple shadows.

The Cub’s abrupt disappearance revealed the asteroid in front of them, Shiro unable to pull the breaks in time thanks to his surprise. He collided with the asteroid, shattering it to bits and floating away with the debris. Shiro righted himself and shook out Black, looking around for any sign of Lotor. The missing cub appeared ahead of him in a way similar to how it disappeared. It floated there, energy crackling along it in shockwaves. 

“Lotor! You alright?!” Shiro called, urging Black towards the stunned Cub. 

Lotor’s voice was layered over with a tinge of static, the Prince’s image appearing on Shiro’s screen. He was holding a hand to his head and his eyes were closed tight. “I’m fine,” He exhaled slowly, fighting a bout of nausea. “I’m not quite sure what that was.” 

“It looked like you teleported.”

“‘ _ Teleported _ ’,” Lotor echoed with a derisive snort, “Astute observation. The question is  _ how _ .”

Shiro watched as Lotor righted Avok 1, the small Cub looking as if it was slumping in on itself from exhaustion. He bit back a smile and a snort of amusement, instead asking, “You don’t know how you activated it?”

“Not entirely, no. Ever since the comet was integrated into my Fighter, I’ve felt a.. Presence gradually appear within the back of my mind. Not as if it’s another individual entirely. But just a slight blip of a conscious. It was faint, unnoticeable. Oftentimes I could overlook it. But earlier it grew more prominent. It encouraged me to trust it. And in doing so… We teleported past the asteroid.” Lotor recalled slowly. He lowered his hand and squinted at Shiro through the screen. “Is that what it feels like piloting Black? Her consciousness residing alongside yours?”

Shiro grinned crookedly and shrugged, “Kind of? It fades in and out, but she’s always there. Kind of like a warm blanket. Easily forgotten until I focus on it. I’m not sure if that’s entirely what you feel though.”

“It certainly doesn’t sound like it. The presence is currently very  _ loud _ . I can scarcely hear myself think.”

Shiro hummed at that, floating around Avok 1 and staring at it in contemplation. “Maybe it’s loud right now because it’s finally establishing its consciousness? Like before it was all muted for the Cub and now it’s like it emerged from beneath the water.”

Lotor’s expression eased slightly and he sighed, running a hand along his Cub’s controls. “Perhaps… Whatever the case, I suppose it’s a good thing. It means Yorak’s work was not in vain.” Then with a new line of determination entering his gaze, the Galran Prince squared his shoulders and raised his chin. “Let us try again. I wish to get a better grasp upon this new ability.”

And just like that only Narti and Acxa were left to figure their Cubs out. Though it didn’t take them long. By the start of the second week Narti and Hunk established a theory based off of Pidge’s method for figuring out Avok 3’s hidden ability. Surely Narti could do something similar? Obviously not controlling the cub’s mind since it wasn’t an organic organism, but perhaps they could strengthen their connection by Narti directly linking their minds?

Surprisingly that proved to be a fruitful endeavor. Narti spent the better part of the week merely meditation with her Cub. It was during one of these moments of silence that there was any sign of change. It started as off as displaced energy and then there was crackling. Suddenly electricity erupted in rippling lashes along Avok 4, coating it like a protective layer. Hunk’s excited cheering was the first indication Narti had that something happened. The second was a purr echoing in the faint recesses of her mind. Her shoulders relaxed at the sound and she tilted her head to press her cheek against Kova’s side, the Altean cat purring to match the call of the Cub.

During Acxa’s training, she acted as flawlessly as usual. A well oiled machine merely running through drills. However while the drills seemed to help the other Cubs figure out their abilities, this wasn’t working for Acxa. It was then Allura gave the suggestion of speaking to her Lion.

“I am not known for my… Heartfelt communication in most situations.” Acxa said with only a hint of skepticism bleeding into her tone. 

Allura merely smiled encouragingly, “Well we’ve tried every other possible avenue. This is merely one more method we can try.”

“There’s no guarantee my Cub even has an ability. It’s a plausible speculation that it simply cannot manifest one.”

“Come now, Acxa. Even I know you don’t like to speculate based on uncertainties. What do you have to lose?”

She cast Allura a bland look, “My dignity?” At the unamused frown that garnered, Acxa let out an unnoticeable sigh. She closed her eyes, lips thinning from her mild grimace. “Look, Princess Allura. While I am sure you mean well, I really don’t think this will work.”

“Just try it, please? If it will make you feel better I’ll even disconnect our lines so I won’t hear a thing.” When Acxa looked at the pleading look Allura was sending her, she could only hold back another sigh before slumping her shoulders in defeat. Visibly brightening, Allura rushed a delighted  _ ‘good luck _ ’ before hanging up.

This left Acxa in silence, the hum of her ship a background audio. She sat there, expression terse. The half-Galra was stiff with tension, her shoulders pulled back to an almost uncomfortable degree. Then after a moment she took in a deep inhale, letting it out and with it, her stress. 

She slumped in her chair, an elbow propped up on the arm. She pushed back the visor of her helmet so she could better pinch the bridge of her nose. “Look,” Acxa started, trying to find her words. “I am not the most… Eloquent. Allura thinks speaking to you will deepen our bond and unlock your hidden potential. I am of the mind that no amount of speaking will do this. I’ve come to learn that like the Voltron Lions, the Avok Cubs will do things as they will.”

Acxa let her hand drop and pressed her weight into her chair. She closed her eyes, “I will not sugar coat my words. Whether you be cooperative or not matters little to me. I will fight alongside my team in this war, with or without your ability. You are just as useful as a ship as you are a Cub. I am content with either form of yours. So long as you continue to be useful. There is no point for either of us in this war if we are not contributing in some way.”

With a final inhale Acxa opened her eyes, glaring up towards the cockpit of her Cub. “So what is your answer? Will you prove to be useful alongside me? Or will you be a hindrance in our fight for this war.”

Rising to her challenge, Avok 2 growled defiantly. Against the consol where her controls lay, a side panel flipped open. On it were three glowing outlines in the shape of her Cub. Above them scrawled in Galran were the words “ **Copy 1** ”, “ **Copy 2** ”, and “ **Copy 3** ”.

A slow smile curved up on Acxa’s face and she straightened in her chair. She reached out, settling her hands on her controls. “It seems we’ve come to an agreement.” She then called Allura, answering her inquiries with a simple, “Let us run through drill 7, if you’d please Princess.”

“Of course. Ready when you are, Acxa.”

Allura flew Blue ahead of where Acxa was crouched in Avok 2. She rolled her shoulders before lifting her Cub up and flying into the air. Acxa wasn’t entirely sure what this panel did, but just from the words alone she had an idea. Perhaps there was more to this talking thing than Acxa first gave it credit.

Despite her eagerness to try her Cub’s ability, she held off. Acxa waited till they were a little further in the drill before she thought it a proper time to use it. She clicked on Copy 1 and 2 before tucking her Cub in a dive and disappearing in a small hole beneath the ice. 

Along her Cub a morphing of purple light enveloped it like a thin layer of gel. Then it slowly pulled itself from Avok 2 like a cell splitting. This happened once more before the glow on Acxa’s Cub faded. Floating in front of her in the hollow ice cavern were two near identical clones of her Cub. 

Acxa stared for a moment in silent awe before smirking, “ **Copy 2, head out and lead Allura on a detour. Copy 1, follow my lead** .” There was no indication Acxa would need to speak Galran in order to communicate with her Cub. However she felt given the fact the text was written in Galra, it felt appropriate.

One of the clones rumbled in confirmation before it darted out of where she’d been. She paid special attention to the text that appeared on screen just beneath Copy 2. It was only brief information giving its status. After waiting for another tick Acxa nodded to herself and darted out of the cave, Copy 1 hot on her heels. 

She burst out of the ice just as Blue was making a grab for Copy 2 with its jaws. Blue visibly reeled at the sudden appearance of two more Avok 2’s, the massive Lion flying to an abrupt stop.

“W-what?”

“ **Copy 1, Copy 2, pincer maneuver** .” The two copies darted off, aiming for either side of Blue while Acxa shot straight for the larger Lion. This time it was Allura’s turn to be chased across the surface, twisting and turning to avoid being grabbed by the diminutive Cubs. 

Just as she was twirling away from Copy 2’s claws the ice beneath them crackled. A moment later it burst open and a powerful geyser of water shot up. It slammed into Copy 2, sending the Cub careening off course and directly into a chunk of ice. The force embedded it into the ice with a deafening crack and suddenly the copy’s form flickered. Then it promptly disappeared and its image on Acxa’s panel turned red, the text above it switching to “ **Recharging** ”.

Acxa pulled her Cub to a stop, Copy 1 following her lead. She then pressed its icon again and it disappeared just as Copy 2 had. Acxa hummed, leaning back in her seat as she contemplated this. 

She contacted Allura, speaking before the other could voice any questions. “It seems my Cub is able to make copies. I am not sure how far the extent of their abilities are. We’ll have to further test before getting a concise conclusion.” Acxa then offered Allura a small smile, “Your advice on speaking to my Cub was well worth it. Thank you Princess.”

Allura’s cheeks coloured slightly in embarrassment at the genuine thanks. She nodded, her own smile growing wide. “I will admit it was quite the surprise! But this ability is sure to prove useful in the battles ahead. Now, should we run a few more test drills before contacting Yorak?”

“Yes, lets.”


	7. The Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time Keith leave Oriande and help plan the final phases of the war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A pretty short chapter. But I'm happy to say that next chapter finally has the scene I've been planning since the start of part 3. I'm very excited to get to it! Also pardon me for glossing over most of the battle planning and what not. There's only so much of that I can handle lmao. But boy do I have plans~ Especially for the final battle. I'm not sure how its all going to play out yet but fingers crossed! Also you won't notice it yet, but I dropped a hint in here for something that'll happen in the next chapter. Again you won't notice it until the scene happens. So... Keep your peepers open for that lol. Anyways thanks for sticking with me and reading! Sorry Shiro and Keith aren't being very shippy since their confession. While I want to write them being cute and smitten, my first priority is plot. So sorry :'D

Keith opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling of the Temple. Many times he had awoken to the same sight. The first few times he’d been alone, the halls still and quiet. However now there was a stark difference. He could hear the sounds of chatter, of life, echoing throughout the temple. 

He let his eyes fall close and simply basked in the moment, heart feeling equal parts heavy and light. In the back of his mind Keith felt the familiar brush of the Guardian, it’s rumbling purr urging him to stand. Keith held in a sigh, dragging himself off the bed and running a hand through the white hair spilling over his shoulders.

“It’s time…”

In response he felt the Guardian shift inside him. The heavy presence he’d slowly gotten used to began trickling out of him. It was like he was a bucket with a leak. The moment the last dregs of the Guardian left him, Keith felt a sudden relief of tension. He nearly collapsed as the weight on his mind and body was taken and with it, his control of Oriande.

Keith staggered, legs nearly giving out. He used his bed to keep himself standing as his vision swam with colours. It took a few moments of him swallowing back bile before Keith felt ready enough to open his eyes.

Standing in front of him shining in all its glory was the White Lion. It purred, stepping forward on silent paws and pressing its forehead to Keith’s chest. He exhaled, feeling a piece of its energy trickle back into him. His failsafe, right where it belonged.

Keith understood the message for what it was. He swallowed, nodding his head as he ran his hand through the Lion’s fur. “I promise to do my best.”

The Guardian closed its eyes, leaning into Keith’s touch for a moment longer before it disappeared in wispy white strands. Keith exhaled, clenching his hands before squaring his shoulders and standing tall. It was time he got ready. 

He was returning to Earth.

///

Sanda stood just outside the Garrison base, the Voltron and Avok pilots accompanying her along with a scattering of other military personnel. They’d just been informed an hour prior that Keith would be returning to Earth. There they would begin their plans to make their final stand against Zarkon’s army. 

Krolia and Keith’s other family members were currently on their way, both to see the Altean and to be involved in the meeting. It was most likely that Keith would arrive before them. However this was fine as he already intended to wait for everyone to arrive before putting out the call to all of their allies. 

The group looked up to the sky as the rumble of a ship breached the atmosphere. White flew down at a gradual pace, landing close enough that a few people had to shield their faces from the dust it kicked up. Its mouth opened and Keith began making his way down the ramp.

It was as if Keith was trying to compensate for those many deca-phoebs he’d spent on Earth pretending to be human. He was decked head-to-toe in Altean regalia. From the armor he wore to the way he had his hair pulled back from his face to show off his ears, everything screamed alien. 

Keith’s friends held back from rushing to greet him. Instead they waited for him to stop in front of Sanda, leveling her with a respectful nod of his head. “Admiral Sanda.”

“Kogane. Or should I call you by your real name?” She asked, the only shift in her hard expression being the raise of a brow.

“Keith Kogane is my name as much as Yorak is. I don’t care which you call me. It’s me regardless.” 

She hummed, tucking her hands behind her back. Whether she liked that answer or not, who's to say? Instead of continuing that line of conversation, Sanda instead said, “Welcome back to Earth, then.”

Keith’s expression eased and he smiled, “Glad to be back. Hopefully not for the last time.”

With those formalities out of the way, Sanda inclined her head towards him before turning around and making her way back to the Garrison. The others began following, Keith noticing the wide eye look Iverson was casting on him. Clearly it only hit him now how Keith really wasn’t human. It was one thing to hear it, another to see it, after all. 

Keith barely bit back his smirk, instead schooling his face into something resembling a blank mask.

“I saw that.”

How quickly his mask crumbled in the wake of Shiro. They bumped shoulders, Keith’s smile turning soft as he snorted. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“Keith’s picking fight with foreign authorities again.” Lance teased as he came up on the Altean’s other side. He slung an arm over Keith’s shoulders, “It’s going to be another King Lubos situation all over again.”

Pidge snorted, jabbing Lance in the side and earning a squawk of offense from him. “Lubos had it coming.”

“No argument there. Though Keith better stop picking fights with foreign authorities if he doesn’t want to be blacklisted from every planet there is.” 

Hunk’s good natured teasing got a round of laughter from the group. Keith tried to glare however it ended up just morphing into a pout. He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t do it as often as you guys like to pretend I do.”

“Yeah, but you have to admit you’ve got a track record.” 

Keith rolled his eyes, following the group from White. However before they could get far there was a familiar tingle of displaced energy. Suddenly Kosmo appeared, the space wolf wagging his tail enthusiastically as he bounded up to the group. 

Keith’s eyes narrowed and he tossed the wolf a pointed look, hands on his hips. “I told you to wait in the ship.”

“Kosmo!”

The wolf was suddenly enveloped in a group hug, various faces pressing close. Kosmo woofed happily, licking Hunk’s cheek before turning a lupine smile on Keith. The Altean scowled, rolling his eyes. Of course.

“Spoiled.” He quipped affectionately, reaching out to playfully pinch the wolf’s cheek. “Alright, come on. Time to show me what Slav’s been working on.”

“Uuugh. Do we have to?”

“Yes.” And without allowing room for further protest, Keith headed into the Garrison. 

Slav was enthusiastic at the appearance of Keith, as was everyone else. Anything that gave them a momentary reprieve from the multi-armed alien was a blessing. Slav coiled his lengthy body around Keith’s torso, picking his hands through his hair and tugging at the collar of his robes as he chattered incessantly. 

“You’ve forgone a cape in this timeline. That is not good! Of course if you’re wearing a red tunic beneath this armor then maybe the chances of something bad happening diminishes. However your hair looks to be two inches longer than when I last saw you. That does not bode well for our survival percentage!!” 

“Slav, focus on this reality for a moment, would you? I promise I’ll take care of my hair later.” Keith said, grabbing a hold of him and prying him away one set of arms at a time. “Tell me about Earth’s defenses. Are they well enough to handle a Galra attack?”

“Oh sure if the Galra do not fire a blast with the strength of a pulsar. Then again there is the possibility they have such technology in this reality. Tell me, have you eaten anything green recently? And did it move?”

Keith ignored the last bit, carrying Slav with him to look over the many screens set up in the engineering room. “What about shields? Hunk told me the Bulmera offered battle-ship level crystals to help out in Earth’s defences.” 

“Ah those. They have been put to very good use!” Swinging his body from Keith’s grip, Slav scrambled to the many monitors and began typing away at them. Instantly a diagram of Earth appeared, alien text flying by as arrows and energy levels began showing up on the screens. “Because Earth is so small compared to other planets, two Bulmera battle-cruise crystals are more than enough to equip it with a defensive shield. However it drains fast. We have only been able to test it once. We estimate it can handle a handful of hits before it becomes useless. Which, while not entirely good, is better than other reality odds.”

“Got it. And what about the ships? Have you been helping equip them with better technology?” 

“Better technology? Ha! Anything we do is an improvement.” Slav crossed his many arms and nodded his head. “We increased their speed and maneuverability. They should be able to fare well in a space battle. Better than they originally would have, anyways.”

“Good, that’s exactly what I want to hear.” Keith walked around the room getting an update on what was being worked on and what was improved. After he got a pretty brief tour, Iverson entered the room to call the lot of them over to begin the meeting. They were led to one of the larger conference rooms meant for the important briefing. Everything was set up for Keith to take the lead and speak to the coalition.

The meeting room was filled to the brim with important Garrison leaders and both the Avok, Blade, and Voltron members. Not only that but at the back of the room was a giant screen projecting the faces of all the main leaders of Earth’s various nations.

Coran took a moment to set up a device on the table, pressing a few buttons before another screen appeared in the middle. This one had rotating images of the current leaders within the Voltron coalition. It shuffled through them, showing more tuning in to the connected call by the minute. With a thumbs up from Coran and the confirmation of ‘we’re live!’, Keith inhaled deep before facing the room.

“I’ll cut straight to the chase. We’re entering the final stretch of this war and the end is on the horizon. Everything we do here and now will dictate the ending we’re striving for. It’s time we take back the Galaxy from Zarkon’s hands and free those forced under his control. But to do that, we need to cripple his power further than we already have.”

Diagrams began popping up, showing a wide variety of colonies and bases across a starmap, each easily identified by being a bright red in a sea of green. “There are still important Galra bases that need to be taken care of. Several of them are camps where prisoners of war are being held. With help from Prince Lotor, Voltron has long since freed the main prison housing the galaxy’s brightest minds. However there are still other prisons out there with scientists of all kinds being forced to work for the Galra. Then there are the weapon manufacturing planets and the Bulmera still under Galra control. We have our work cut out for us, but by splitting up the tasks we’ll be able to weaken Zarkon’s forces enough for a full frontal assault.” 

At that point Keith began devling up tasks and voicing plans. Despite the work done to Earth’s spaceships, they still weren’t equipped for long term travel. Because of this, Keith and Allura had discussed inviting humans onto the Castle of Lions as a temporary crew for the war. They would of course be working alongside the Altean Colonist who’ve been training to be the actual permanent crew, but it was morso to make sure Earth felt it was involved and contributing. So with that in mind, on behalf of Allura, Keith extended an invitation to all of Earth’s leaders. They would pick five of their best pilots to send Voltron’s way. Language barriers were no issue as, thanks to Altean technology, it was an easy fix. 

From there the day was filled to the brim with sorting out which sections would be tasked to who. The plan was to attack one right after the other and give the Galra no chance to retaliate. Only after these smaller missions were accomplished would they begin planning for the final assault. And though it seemed right around the corner, truly they’d have a bit longer to wait before that meeting eventually happened.

They planned to launch the smaller attacks within a movement. In that time Earth began sending over their chosen pilots to join in the fight. When all the pilots had arrived they were paired with at least one Altean to help show them the ropes. And, just as that movement was drawing to a close, a meeting was called for the castle’s crew. 

It was the first time in deca-phoebs the Castle of Lions was this filled. The sight nearly drove Allura and Coran to tears, the two of them standing before the crew with Keith. A few steps behind them were the Voltron Paladins and the Avok Fighters, the two groups sharing excited looks, casting glances at Coran when the Altean wasn’t looking. Which, given the fact he couldn’t take his eyes off the large gathering in front of him, wasn’t hard to do.

“The halls are once again filled, Princess. Only this time with Alteans  _ and _ Humans!” He chuckled, hands tucked behind his back.

“Indeed. It warms my heart to see.” She answered with a tearful smile.

“Leading them’s going to be quite the challenge.” 

Keith’s comment had Coran laughing, waving a hand dismissively. “Nonsense! Allura’s got plenty of experience leading a challenging crew!” 

“Oh, I won’t be leading them, Coran.” 

The Altean’s smile froze on his face for a moment before he was turning a confused look at her. “Beg your pardon?”

This time both Keith and Allura turned to look at Coran, both sharing matching grins. Allura folded her hands in front of her, looking as regal as her title allowed. “I will be out there piloting the Blue Lion. There is no room for me to command the Castle of Lions at the same time. Which is why I shall be bestowing this honor upon you, Coran. You have fought by our side since the very beginning and without you, I doubt we’d even be here. You have guided the Voltron Paladins and just like them, you shall guide the castle ship’s crew. This I have complete faith in.”

Her smile turned softer when she saw how stricken with shock Coran looked. She tilted her head, holding out a hand to him. “Kneel, Coran.” Without hesitation he dropped to his knees before her, his breath hitching when she laid a hand on his shoulder. Allura then raised her voice, projecting around the docking bay they were crowded into. “Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe, as your Princess and future Queen, I bestow upon you the ranking of Admiral. This is now your ship, and these are now your crew. May you lead them to victory just as you have led us so many times before. And when the fighting is over, should you decide so, I would like to have you as my Royal Advisor just as you were to my father.”

Never before in his life did Coran think he’d receive such a position. He blinked past the tears he wasn’t even aware he’d been shedding. With a wet laugh, Coran reached out and took the hand on his shoulder. He bent his head and rested his forehead against the back of her hand, closing his eyes and trying not to blubber like he was a child. 

“Of course Princess. I will do my best to make you proud.”

“Oh Coran, you already have.”

Coran sniffled at that, wiping his misty eyes before he stood. He then plastered on a brilliant grin, turning to face the castle ship’s crew,  _ his _ crew. “Alright everyone! Step lively now, we’re shipping off! To your stations!”

There was a loud chorus of “yes sir!” followed by saultes before they were streaming out of the bay and heading to their designated areas. Eventually Coran would join them in the ship’s bridge, but for now he was content to stay behind with his family.

He turned on his heel, seeing the excited smiles thrown his way. With his hands on his hips Coran wiggled his mustache, “I see I was the only one made unaware of this impromptu ceremony!”

Hunk was the first to break, the Yellow Paladin rushing forward to scoop Coran into a tight hug. “Aaah sorry Coran! I wanted to tell you so bad but Allura made us promise to keep quiet! Congrats man, you deserve it!”

“Heck yeah he does!” Lance cheered, throwing himself into the hug. 

With their own excited calls of congratulations, they all gathered Coran into their arms to offer the man a hug. It was just as Allura had said. Though he wasn’t their leader like Shiro, Allura, or Lotor might be considered, he still guided them in many aspects over the course of their journey. Without him many things might have ended differently, maybe even for the worse. And for that they were grateful to Coran. Though he would still have plenty of things to teach them as the years progressed, in this moment he had a new batch of younglings to teach. And for that he was very excited. He couldn’t wait!


End file.
